Mayo Camogie have announced the appointment of Jimmy Lyons as counties junior team manager for 2021. The appointment was ratified at the recent meeting of Mayo Camogie County Board.
Jimmy’s credentials are numerous across the codes within GAA, in 2019 he was a selector with the Na Brideoga team, which he now currently manages, when they made history by capturing the All-Ireland Junior B title.
The team now plays at Junior A level in Galway. His success at Inter-county level for Mayo in Gaelic Football includes winning Connacht medals in all grades and an All-Ireland Minor title in 1978.
In 1977 he was a member of the Aghamore Shamrocks team that won the Mayo SFC, in St Jarlath’s College Tuam, he won a Hogan Cup title in 1978, and achieved success in UCD winning Sigerson Cup medals.
As a coach/manager he has led Aghamore to notable successes, including two Mayo U21 A titles in 2015 and 16, a senior Division 2 league title in 2015 and several championships and leagues at underage level.
He has also managed Western Gaels to two Division 1 league titles in Roscommon. Mayo Camogie County Board Chairperson, Rosemary Smith, said: "We are delighted that someone with such experience as Jimmy is leading the junior team this year. The county board wish him and his management team the best of luck for the season.”
Lyons added: "My aim is to re-establish Mayo on the inter-county Camogie scene. I am familiar with the county’s tradition in the game stretching back to the 1950s, and, from my involvement with Na Brideoga, I can see the enthusiasm that now exists for the game in Mayo.
"While the number of clubs in the county numbers only three currently competing at adult level - Westport, Castlebar & Na Brideoga - the formation of a club in Claremorris recently is an indication of the growing interest in the game, and I believe that reviving the Mayo team is an important step to furthering the development of camogie.
"My short-term aim is to encourage players to commit to inter-county Camogie and to approach it with a willingness to learn. It is a journey into the unknown for all of us but approached with a sense of excitement and exploration, I believe we can make great progress."
The new Junior Team manager will be ably assisted by Sinead Muldoon (Westport ) and Ger Doherty (Na Brideoga ) as his backroom team for the 2021 season.
