Rejected McHale invited to reapply for ladies role
THERE was a new twist in the process to appoint a manager to the Mayo senior ladies football team with Liam McHale invited to reapply for the post just days after the county board rejected his recommendation to become county boss. Following a county board meeting in Castlebar on Tuesday to discuss the crisis, it was conceded that the process which led to McHale’s rejection had been ‘flawed,’ but it was not made clear which element of the appointment procedure had been undermined by an error. It is the latest chapter in a saga where McHale was interviewed last week by a panel headed by board chairman, Des McPhillips, who recommended the Ballina man’s appointment. That was subsequently rejected on Saturday when members of the executive voted on the recommendation. Yesterday, the board issued a statement confirming that an error had taken place and extended an invite to McHale, who stepped away from Kevin McStay’s Mayo’s men’s management team after one season in late summer citing a difference in football philosophies, to engage with them again. ‘The Mayo LGFA Executive met last Friday night to discuss the recommended candidate put forward by the interview committee,’ read a statement from the Mayo ladies board. ‘Following a lengthy discussion, a secret ballot took place. The outcome of the ballot was not to accept the recommendation of the interview committee. ‘It was subsequently discovered that the procedures manual, as ratified by the clubs and followed by the executive, was flawed. ‘At a County Board meeting last night it was agreed by the delegates to invite the recommended candidate, Liam McHale, back into the process. ‘He will be contacted by the County Board in due course.’ The only other candidate interviewed for the post was former Mayo minor manager Vinny Gavin, who included former county star John Casey in his proposed management team.