McEniff among contenders for Mayo manager’s job

BRIAN McENIFF, who will again manager Ulster in the upcoming inter-provincial football competition, is remaining coy about the possibility of him taking over in Mayo from John Maughan.

McEniff confirmed yesterday, however, that he had shown an interest in the position when contacted initially.

Meanwhile, John O’Mahony will again manage the Connacht side but neatly sidestepped questions about a return to full-time management.

Both men attended the launch of the M Donnelly Interprovincial championships in Croke Park yesterday, in company with Leinster football manager Val Andrews and Leinster hurling selector Richie Power and some player representatives.

“There was an approach and I took an interest in for a while,’’ said McEniff. “But, it’s where I’m going to be at. They have nine applicants for it, plenty to suss out. Naturally enough I looked at it, I have business (interests) and I have family in Mayo and I am in Mayo once or twice a week. So it would not be that big a problem from travelling point of view.’’

He agreed that having been involved with Donegal for the last two years it would be difficult to break all ties with inter-county management.

“You’re always interested. I could never believe that I went back.

“It’s not easy to walk away from it - from the ‘buzz’ you get from being involved.’’

John O’Mahony will be in charge of the Connacht team for the third year. And, while pointing out that the province had changed ‘some statistics’ in the recent past - in relation to success in the All-Ireland and club championships - he couldn’t promise that they would end their long wait (since 1969) for a title.

“This is the less stressful side of management,’’ he remarked. “The fact that I managed Leitrim, Mayo and Galway, I’d know a lot of the lads. It’s a short term thing and ‘doable’ and I have enjoyed it.’’

While Ulster had an initial gathering on Wednesday night, O’Mahony won’t decide on his squad until after a trial game on Saturday week between a ‘Rest of Connacht’ team against Galway.

“Because of all the fixtures and International Rules tour we’ll be missing Ciaran McDonald, David Heaney, Padraig Joyce and Michael Meehan. But there has always bee a positive response. Players always want to make themselves available and if they cannot play it’s because they are unable.

“Last year we played Ulster in Castlebar and seven or eight of the team had fixtures the night before still turned up. Players do still see it as an honour.’’

He admitted to ‘a sense of annoyance’ at the fact that only two players from the province gained Vodafone Allstar nominations.

“In the last few months Connacht football has been getting a bit of a bashing. I was listening to all of that during the late eighties and early nineties before we got a bit of peace for a few years. I suspect that we are in for a bit of a ‘pasting’ in the New Year, but it will be a chance for all the Connacht teams to rise up again.’’

O’Mahony shares the general disappointment that the competition has ‘waned’ in recent years, but agreed that it was ‘hard’ to blame anybody for its demise.

“There would be times when you would throw your hands up in despair and say it would be as well to kill it off. But, it seems to keep flickering and going.’’