Mayo exodus continues as key star joins Cillian O’Connor in bowing out for 2025

The championship’s all-time top scorer confirmed his decision to step away on Monday and he will now be joined by Padraig O’Hora, with the defender ruling himself out for the season ahead.

The Ballina clubman first featured for Mayo back in 2016 but didn’t make his championship debut until 2020.

He subsequently became an influential part of the full-back line and starred for Mayo in their run to the All-Ireland final in 2021, where they eventually came undone against Tyrone.

While he made just two starts for the county last season, his exit adds to a growing number of players who McStay will be without next year.

On top of the recent departures of O’Connor and O’Hora, Michael Plunkett, James Carr and backup goalkeeper Rory Byrne will have no involvement in the season ahead.

While Aidan O’Shea and Tommy Conroy are going nowhere, both are currently injured – with O’Shea expected to miss the first two National League fixtures of the campaign and Conroy not set to return until later in the spring.

 Cillian O’Connor’s year out from Mayo is in danger of becoming permanent
McStay is entering his third season as Mayo manager, having been appointed back in August 2022.

* This article was originally published on Extra.ie.