Buckley new Mayo coach

Kerry native Donie Buckley has been appointed Mayo senior football coach.

The All-Ireland finalists were rocked by Cian O’Neill’s decision to take up a similar position in Eamonn Fitzmaurice’s Kerry backroom team. However, James Horan moved swiftly and, following a series of meetings with Buckley, appointed the Castleisland man to the position.

“This will take Mayo football onto a new level,” said James Horan.

“Donie is an outstanding coach. He is ideal man for us at this stage of our development and I know that the players will learn a lot from working with him. We’re looking to progress and develop all the time and this is a great step forwards. Donie is excited about working with us and we’re excited about working with him, we can’t wait to get started.

“We have a top class group in place. Ed [Coughlan], Tom [Prendergast] and Jimmy [Nallen] are the best in the business and we’re looking forward to building on what has been achieved over the past two seasons.”

Buckley, who stepped down from his role with the Kerry team last year under Jack O’Connor, will be on the Mayo line when they play the Kingdom in the first league game of the season at Elverys MacHale Park on February 2.