James Horan talks about the 2011 game that almost ended his time as Mayo manager

James Horan believes his managerial career with Mayo “would have been over” had the team lost to London in 2011.

Horan says his first championship game in charge, which almost ended in disaster five years ago, could have been his last had Trevor Mortimer and Kevin McLoughlin not kicked late points to force extra time and save the team from the ignominy of a Connacht SFC collapse against the Exiles.

Mayo return to Ruislip on Sunday for the first time since that 0-19 to 2-10 extra-time victory, and the sense of shock and relief is still fresh in the mind of the man who subsequently took them to All-Ireland finals in 2012 and 2013.