Holmes and connelly oddson for mayo managers job

ALL-IRELAND winning Mayo Under 21 joint managers in 2006, Pat Holmes and Noel Connelly, look set to be appointed the joint managers of the county senior team.

The Connaught Telegraph has learned that the successful duo have agreed to team up once again and apply for the vacant Mayo job.

The Connelly/Holmes partnership would be viewed by Mayo supporters as the ideal pair to take over the role and lead the current squad of players to the next level.

The pair had a very successful three-year term in charge of the county Under 21 team. In their first year in charge, 2006, they led the county to All-Ireland success.

After they stepped down from the county Under 21 job both continued their involvement in the GAA.

Only last year Holmes led Castlebar Mitchels to the All-Ireland senior club final, while Connelly is the manager of Hollymount/Carramore, a side that will be involved in the county intermediate club semi-finals next weekend.

The Hollymount/Carramore clubman has also been very involved in the Mayo Under 19 and 20 development squads for the past two years.

Should this partnership be successful in securing the Mayo job, it will be Pat Holmes’ second time at the helm. The Moygownagh native previously served a three-year term from 1999 to 2002. In 2001 he guided the county to national league glory, Mayo defeating arch rivals Galway by 0-13 to 0-12 in the Croke Park decider.

There is little doubt that Holmes and Connelly are now the odds-on favourites to land the job and their attendance at the Mayo senior quarterfinals last weekend was noteworthy. It is understood prelimianry talks have taken place with Donal Buckley with regard to him remaining in his role as team coach.

With tomorrow night (Thursday) the closing date for applications, it is expected the main challenge to Connelly and Holmes will be Kevin McStay, another former Mayo star.

McStay was first to throw his hat into the ring and said on national television he would be very interested in the Mayo job. His attendance at the two county senior club championship quarterfinals on Saturday evening in Elverys MacHale Park, Castlebar, suggested he is still very interested in getting the job.

However, I believe that with the arrival of the strong partnership of Holmes and Connelly into the race, it would come as no great surprise to see McStay bowing out of the contest.

Mayo County Board chairman Paddy McNicholas said after James Horan’s term in charge came to an end that they were hoping to appoint a new manager sooner rather than later. It very much looks like an appointment will be made within the next few weeks.

Any club wishing to nominate a person (or persons) for the job must do so by tomorrow night. Any such nomination by a club must carry a signed signature by the person(s) indicating interest in the job.

But, according to well-placed sources, Holmes and Connelly are set to succeed James Horan as Mayo manager.