Would James Horan have played Oisin Mullin in the All-Ireland final? 'Absolutely'

Oisín Mullin. Pic: James Crombie/Inpho

Former Mayo manager James Horan is adamant he would have included Geelong AFL star Oisin Mullin in the All-Ireland final panel if it was an option.

Speaking on the Irish Examiner’s Gaelic football show, Horan was asked what he would have done in a similar situation. It emerged last month that Mayo approached the Australian club to see if he could return for the decider against Kerry.

Mullin later confirmed that conversation took place about getting him home to play a part. At the time, Geelong were in the business end of their campaign.

“Absolutely,” said Horan.

“Yeah. If it worked all round. If Oisin was available. But if you think about it, there are always teams or a player that comes back or someone who has to come in; there is a special circumstance somewhere.

“You go to the leaders of the team and involve them in the decision. It would be a very easy one around Oisin. You have to remember he trained regularly with Mayo when he was back at the beginning of the year and went on the camp. There is that connection.

"He has played with all of those guys, except Kobe and Darragh Beirne. The type of character that he is, the type of player that he is, he is completely and utterly team first. I mean, he wouldn’t care if he didn’t touch the ball or not as long as he did a job for the team. Tag their best player, if you want to put it that way. 

"If you factor all those things in, he would be wanted by the team because of his character and his ability. He had that connection. His fitness level would not be an issue. For all those reasons, if it worked, I would have had him on the panel.” The two-time Mayo manager clarified that he would have started Mullin and that timings would have to work out in terms of fixtures and travel.

“I probably wouldn’t have started him. But, certainly have him there, at any stage if there was a job to be done, he would be the man that could do it. It would be that sort of thinking.

He continued: “Can you imagine if Paul Geaney or Paudie were absolutely destroying it, a guy to just neutralise him in the game. Would Oisin Mullin be able to do that job even if he hasn’t played Gaelic in so long?"