‘Players were pressurised to withdraw’

Bans handed out as ladies split worsens

their ‘mental health.’ Board chiefs also reaffirmed that Leahy would remain in charge of the team next season. But it was the board’s assertion that the players had used ‘player welfare issues’ as a smokescreen to stage a mid-summer coup against Leahy which exposed a chasm that now exists between the board and its former players. The board allege that the players who remained were ‘pressurised’ to withdraw from the panel in what they claim was a move designed to ensure Leahy’s position was untenable. ‘We found that the remaining players had been contacted and pressurised up to and including two days before the inter-county game with Cavan to try and convince them to leave the panel,’ said the board. ‘We find this behaviour totally unacceptable and unbecoming.’

THE eight Carnacon players who quit the Mayo ladies panel were hit with fourweek bans last night.

The Connacht LGFA Council rejected the Mayo Ladies Gaelic Football Association appeal, which sought to have Carnacon thrown out of all competitions. However, the council instead ruled that the eight players, including top star Cora Staunton, will face four-week suspensions, while they also issued the club with a €500 fine.

Last night’s decision concluded a traumatic 24 hours for Mayo’s ladies football, which has all but ended any hope of a resolution to the dispute which has split the county.

Earlier in the day, the Mayo ladies board accused the renegade players of orchestrating a campaign to oust their manager Peter Leahy.

The board chiefs issued a scathing response in the aftermath of Monday night’s press conference, held by the 12 players and two selectors who left Leahy’s panel in July, where they had alleged being subjected to intimidation which had threatened