Mayo ladies manager releases statement about 12 players leaving county panel

Mayo ladies manager Peter Leahy has released a statement about the controversy that has surrounded the panel this week.

12 footballers left the squad this week, just days before their championship opener with Cavan, but the reasons for their departure weren't made clear. In a statement from the women who walked out, they highlighted 'personal and sensitive' welfare issues but the Mayo board threw their support behind the management and explained that 'all necessary resources have been made available to Mayo ladies'. Despite losing the like of Cora Staunton, as well as captain and vice-captain, Sarah Tierney and Fiona McHale, Mayo powered to a 3-23 to 4-13 win over the Ulster side. https://twitter.com/SportTG4/status/1018138579158077440 2-6 from Grace Kelly and 1-7 from Sarah Rowe put to bed a difficult week for the westerners and, in particular, their manager but, after the win, Peter Leahy broke his silence on the matter. On Thursday, July 5, Leahy received a call from 'a certain club secretary' informing him that eight members of the panel were leaving the panel on the grounds of player welfare. Leahy let the County Board chairperson know of the call and he then informed the panel. The decision was made to carry on with training. Over the next five days, four more members removed themselves from the county panel. Of the four players who walked out at that stage, three of them wrote messages to the Liaison Officer saying they were withdrawing due to 'personal reasons'. The 12th and final player to leave the panel has not offered a reason.

"Firstly, it's correct that 12 girls who were on the panel have left, but it is incorrect to state that they have all left for the same apparent reason," Leahy wrote. "As manager, I want to clearly state that at no stage has any player ever been asked to leave the panel and I respect every player's right to chose to be involved at county level or to leave the panel."

Cormac O'Malley got the full statement for Mid West Radio. https://twitter.com/cormacpro/status/1018151112069861377