James Horan (Gaelic footballer)

James Horan

Personal information
Irish name	Séamus Ó hÓráin
Sport	Gaelic Football
Position	Left Half Forward
Born	1972 (age 43–44) New Zealand
Occupation	Distribution Manager
Club(s)
Years	Club
	Ballintubber
Inter-county(ies)
Years	County
	Mayo
Inter-county titles
Connacht titles	3
All-Irelands	0
NFL	1
All Stars	2

James Horan (born 1972) is an Irish Gaelic football manager and former player. As manager, he led Mayo to two All-Ireland finals with a return of two defeats: in 2012 by Donegal and in 2013 by Dublin.

Career

Horan enjoyed a successful playing career at club level with Ballintubber and at inter-county level with Mayo. He was a key member of the half-forward line on the latter team throughout the 1990s and collected three Connacht titles and two All-Star awards in 1996 and 1999. Immediately after retiring from inter-county activity Horan became involved in team management. He was appointed manager of his native club, Ballintubber, in 2007 and guided the team back to the senior ranks and to a senior championship final after three years in charge.^[1]

Horan was appointed manager of the Mayo senior football team in October 2010 on a three-year term.^[2] Mayo lost the 2012 All-Ireland Senior Football Championship Final to Donegal.^[3] In October 2012 he agreed a new two-year extension to his contract.^[4] Mayo qualified for the 2013 All-Ireland Senior Football Championship Final after defeating Tyrone in the semi-final.^[5] Mayo lost in the final for the second year in a row, this time to Dublin on a 1–14 to 2–12 scoreline.^[6]

On 30 August 2014 following a semi-final replay defeat to Kerry, Horan resigned as Mayo manager.^[7] In his first interview since stepping down he showed his frustration by lashing out at the Mayo County Board.^[8]

References

1. "Horan relishes new task". Hogan Stand. 5 April 2007. Retrieved 2010-10-05.
2. "James Horan handed Mayo job". RTÉ Sport. 29 September 2010. Retrieved 2010-10-05.
3. "Mayo to back down over Horan's demands". Irish Independent. 10 October 2012. Retrieved 10 October 2012.
4. "Horan handed Mayo contract extension". Irish Examiner. 11 October 2012. Retrieved 11 October 2012.
5. "A cool head for the hot-seat". Irish Examiner. 18 September 2013. Retrieved 18 September 2013.
6. "Dublin win 2013 All-Ireland football final". The Score. 23 September 2013. Retrieved 25 September 2013.
7. Crowe, Dermot (31 August 2014). "James Horan decides to step down". Irish Independent. Retrieved 1 September 2014.
8. Clerkin, Malachy (15 September 2014). "James Horan hits out at Mayo county board". The Irish Times. Retrieved 15 September 2014.