O’Mahony refuses to be drawn into game of political football

JOHN O’MAHONY denied yesterday that taking charge of the Mayo footballers would advance his chances of winning a Dáil seat in next year’s general election.

He stressed that any job he took on would be on the “full merits of being successful” in it. “Anyone who knows my record would know that I would do it precisely to advance the cause of the job that I go into, rather than anything else,’’ he commented.

Confirming that he was due to meet with the Mayo chairman before the end of the week, he said he would make a decision “very quickly” as to whether he is going to be involved with Mayo or not. “There are other candidates too and I have to have respect for that,’’ he added. “I’ll take control of the situation when I have to and people will know exactly what the story is.”

Pointing out that his name had also been linked with the Mayo job last year — and that the same speculation was there that he was going to take over the team — O’Mahony pointed out that two things had changed in the interim period. Firstly, he is now in a political campaign which he intends “to fulfil.” Secondly, the fact that he has retired from teaching gives him extra time.

“All of those will have to be put into the mix and see does it make a material difference.

“People would also have said in recent weeks — the word used was that ‘I turned down Mayo’ — but effectively I haven’t ever turned back. I was helping in a small way in the background with Pat Holmes this year (with the successful U21 team) and I have helped out with Schools of Excellence and so on. Last year there were other things and I decided to take another year out of inter-county management. It’s not that I took any other county.

“That’s not a true reflection of ‘turning down anyone.’ We’ll look at it in the whole light of day again, give it an honest assessment and see where we go from here.”

In relation to his political involvement, O’Mahony said it remained to be seen if he could fulfil his commitment and manage the Mayo team at the same time. “When that’s worked out you have to make a decision whether you are willing to do it in that context or not and that decision is going to be made.”

He also made it clear there was no conflict of interest if his native Ballaghadareen win the Mayo replay next Sunday and come up against Roscommon side St Bridget’s, Kiltoom.

“I have a small involvement with them and I’m delighted to see them making progress. I wouldn’t be thinking about that, but if it ever came about, your native club (Ballaghadareen) is the one you would be helping out.”