Ten Mayo players have been rewarded for their performances in this year’s football championship with nominations for the GAA GPA All Stars. Mayo’s haul of 10 nominations was only two short of All Ireland champions Donegal’s total. Both Alan Dillon and Andy Moran will be looking to pick up their second All Star awards with their nominations for this year. David Clark’s great year in goal has seen him get the nod alongside Dublin’s Stephen Cluxton and Donegal’s Paul Durcan. Both Keith Higgins and Ger Cafferkey were given nominations in the full back line, with Lee Keegan and Colm Boyle in the half back line. Both Aidan O’Shea and Barry Moran are up for one of the midfield berths, with Kevin McLoughlin joining Dillon and Moran in the race for a All Star in the forwards. Cillian O’Connor, who won the young player of the year last year, is nominated again this year for the same award.
Connacht council to consider FBD sanctions
The Connacht Council is to consider in the coming weeks what sanctions to impose on Mayo for pulling out of this weekend’s scheduled FBD League final in New York. Late last Thursday evening, the Mayo County Board issued a statement explaining their withdrawal from the competition, due to fixture congestion at home following reaching this years All Ireland final and player commitments to work and family.
The short notice has caused a lot of anger with the Connacht Council saying in a statement: “Connacht GAA would like to express its extreme disappointment and annoyance at Mayo GAA withdrawing from the Connacht GAA FBD competition at such short notice, considering the home final was played in January and the date for the final in New York had been decided in October 2011. Their action has greatly upset the players, management, and officials of the New York team who had been making arrangements to host the All Ireland finalists to Gaelic Park. Connacht GAA Council wish to thank the competition sponsors FBD, for their understanding at this time and to thank them for their loyal sponsorship of the competition from the outset.
“In the coming weeks Connacht GAA Council will consider what sanctions to impose on the Mayo GAA County Board for failing to fulfil the fixture.”
