'No ego' - Steely Andy Moran making hard calls for Mayo, says Conor Mortimer

Conor Mortimer says tough personnel decisions point to Moran's inner ruthlessness.

Mayo manager Andy Moran. Pic: ©INPHO/Ryan Byrne

One of Andy Moran's first moves after being installed as Mayo manager was to convince veteran duo Rob Hennelly and Cillian O'Connor, as well as James Carr, to return.

All three sat out the 2025 season for various reasons but agreed to give it another go.

With Mayo now preparing for an All-Ireland semi-final, goalkeeper Hennelly has been dropped, with Moran figuring after the defeat to Roscommon in Connacht that Jack Livingstone was a better option.

Carr hasn't featured at all in the Championship - making just three League appearances - while O'Connor last played in the province, coming on twice in Connacht and tallying 30 minutes of game time.

Injuries have partly been an issue, with Carr and O'Connor, but Moran has also displayed a ruthless streak, declining to use fans favourite Aidan O'Shea at all in their last two games, ending the Breaffy man's long run of unbroken service.

Tommy Conroy hasn't started a Championship game either while established figures like Fergal Boland and Matthew Ruane have got limited minutes. Former Mayo star Conor Mortimer said all those tough personnel decisions point to Moran's inner ruthlessness.

Conor Mortimer of Mayo, pictured today for AIB ahead of the 2026 GAA All-Ireland Senior Football Championship Semi-Finals. This year marks a significant milestone as AIB celebrates its 11th year supporting the GAA All-Ireland Senior Football Championship. This season, AIB are celebrating the profound impact of managers, mentors, and backroom teams. Behind every county, are those who lift us all. Pic: ©INPHO/Dan Sheridan

"There has to be that steeliness there at this level, because you won't survive otherwise," said Mortimer, who was speaking at a promotion for Championship sponsors AIB. "Ultimately, they are big calls that were made between him and the management group.

"They decided to make these changes, and they've worked. They've won games. Now I wouldn't rule out seeing Aidan O'Shea or Cillian O'Connor come Saturday, because I think the way the game could potentially go in terms of physicality around the middle, you're going to need a little bit of strength to come in and finish off the job.

"I think that's something people might be surprised to hear, but these guys aren't togging out and training away and not hoping to get minutes.

"But yeah, he definitely has that steeliness about him, to make the hard calls. He's asked guys who hadn't played in a year to come back. That's not an easy conversation to have either.

"But he sold it to them, 'This is our plan, this is the project', shall we say, and brought them back in.

"The thing with Andy, and I've known Andy for a long, long time, he'll do everything for the betterment of the team. There's no ego. Whatever way it has to be, or whoever we need to play to ensure this team performs, he will pick them."

Hennelly, who plays his club football for Raheny in Dublin, started all but one of Mayo's League games, and lined out for their first two Championship games, before being axed for Livingstone.

"Livingstone has come out of nowhere essentially and has probably been the reason we're still in the Championship," said Mortimer.

"Credit to the management team, Andy and Colm Boyle and the lads because, again, those are hard conversations to have with players who haven't played in a while, you're bringing them back in and now you're telling them they're not going to play."

Former All-Star attacker Mortimer, now coaching Meath senior club side Kilbride, isn't convinced that benched O'Shea, 36, will retire when the season is over, possibly this weekend.

"If there's a role, if he's mentally and physically able to keep going, I'm sure he will," said Mortimer. "Minutes will decide that, I think, in terms of what's on offer. If he's given a fair crack, then 100 percent he'll stay on."

Teenage phenom Kobe McDonald will definitely leave the group if they lose, to join AFL side St Kilda. Mortimer played with Kobe's father, Ciarán. The two blond attackers of Mayo's mid-2000s teams.

"There are similarities, there's no question of that," said Mortimer of father and son. "Physique, style, demeanour, there's definitely similarities. The big difference is Ciarán was left footed, Kobe is right-footed. But a lot of the skill set, the confidence, the ability, all very, very similar. And just totally down to earth people.

"I think from U-12, U-14, there was big scoring in games (with Kobe), kicking 45s at 13, 14 years of age. He just had a lot of different attributes that young people without that special talent, shall we say, don't have. And he's carried it on to senior."