Mayo captain’s defiant message to county board

MAYO captain Yvonne Byrne directed a broadside at the county board after leading her side to victory in Sunday’s Connacht Ladies senior football championship final.

Mayo chiefs last year voted to withdraw the county side from the All-Ireland championship after manager Pat Costello resigned from his post.

Mayo subsequently returned to competitive action but the wounds of 2010 remain fresh with skipper Byrne, a four time All-Ireland winner, hitting out in her weekend acceptance speech in Tuam Stadium.

She said: “Generally when you are with a county team you have to battle against other counties. Unfortunately, the last few years we’ve had to battle in our own county to be our best, to be champions and to get back to the top.

“For those people who tried to keep us down, today is the day for these girls who kept on battling.

“This win is as sweet as any. This group of players has been damned and put down for wanting to be the best, for wanting to achieve and for being willing to work hard, but this year we’ve a management team that is willing to break down any barriers just to allow the players express themselves and to let the team work hard. For us to come to Tuam Stadium, the home of Galway football, and to pull out a win after not even competing in the competition last year is brilliant.”

“To have to fight to play for your county..... it is dumbfounding.”

One of the county’s most famous players, Cora Staunton, admitted it was “nice to get back to winning ways” after the “hullaballoo” of 2010.