Swinford's Damien Gavin named new county minor team manager

SWINFORD club man Damien Gavin has been ratified as the new Mayo minor manager at a meeting of the county board.

Gavin, who succeeds Enda Gilvarry, will just have one year in charge as the minor grade is set to be scrapped after the 2017 championship and replaced by Under 17 and Under 19 competitions.

A qualified gym and fitness instructor with a degree in leisure, Gavin has already spent seven years working with Mayo's Under 15, Under 16 and Under 17 academy teams.

Commenting on his appointment last night (Wednesday), he said it was a massive achievement for himself, his family and for his club, Swinford, to be appointed the new minor county manager.

Included in Gavin's team will be selectors Michael Doocey (Cill Chomáin), Padraic Costello (Ballinrobe) and Brian McLoughlin (Burrishoole), team trainer Vinnie Gavin, goalkeeping coach Alvin McCallig, free-taking coach Michael Fitzmaurice, strength and conditioning coach Conor Finn, physio John Courell, team doctor Dr. James Harrison, logistics officers Keelan Devers and Neil Higgins, and psychologist Kathleen Gavin.

Gavin's first venure in county management will start with the Connaught league early in the new year. At the end of the league, Gavin will have just two weeks to prepare his charges for the Connaught championship as Mayo will be involved in a preliminary round game on April 29 against Galway at Elverys MacHale Park, Castlebar.

The loser of this game will have no further interest in the championship while the winners will not play their Connaught semi-final until June 28, after the conclusion of the Leaving Cert examinations.