Kevin McStay's Mayo exit slammed by former star: 'Totally unnecessary'

Irish Daily Mirror

27-06-2025

Three-time All-Ireland finalist Rob Hennelly has spoken out on his frustration over Mayo GAA's removal of manager Kevin McStay and his staff.
McStay was released with a year left on his term on Wednesday, with the announcement of the departure being slated by fans and former players alike.
Hennelly has now joined the chorus chastising Mayo GAA for the statement made and the circumstances around the sacking.
Speaking to RTÉ, Hennelly said: "I'm disappointed but not overly surprised with regards to how it was done.
"It seems very quick in the way they obviously went about it and I was very surprised because Kevin's management team put in massive shifts.
"One of the hardest jobs you're going to get in GAA is managing Mayo.
"They put everything into it, and unfortunately, results weren't what they would have wanted, particularly over the last two years.
"But regardless, the way it was kind of handled in the end didn't fit the work that they put into it, and what they've done for Mayo as well.
"That's Kevin, that's Stephen Rochford, and obviously all the backroom team. It's a lot of people who have been involved in Mayo a long time and put a lot of work into it, so really disappointed but not overly surprised with regards to how it was done.
"We've had a tendency to do things probably not in the right way in Mayo, unfortunately.
"It was unnecessary the way it was done in the end."
The comparison has been made between Antrim and Mayo's statements after their manager's departures after Andy McEntee left the Saffron County recently.
Hennelly added: "I think people have made the contrast between the way Andy McEntee has left Antrim and how Kevin has left Mayo.
"In the case of Andy McEntee, it was heartfelt from Antrim. There were words about him when he was leaving, and Kevin deserved that at least.
"The initial communication of it wasn't professional. It wasn't fair. It wasn't representative of the three years of effort.
"From someone who's played under Kevin but also just from a Mayo supporter perspective, it's not really good enough.
"Whether you're a player or a supporter, particularly when you consider the last couple of months where he has had health concerns, it's very disappointing and totally unnecessary."