Why Andy Moran and Roscommon town support Mayo

Fascinating!

But why did the current Mayo boss, and iconic player for the Green and Red, tog out for one of the Rossies' fiercest Connacht rivals?

The answer dates back to April 1, 1898, when, under the Local Government Act, Ballaghaderreen and its surrounding areas were transferred from Co. Mayo to Co. Roscommon.

However, Ballaghaderreen GAA club are still affiliated with the Mayo County Board, while many of the townspeople still cheer for the Green and Red.

Other well-known inter-county players from Ballaghaderreen, include: Pearce Hanley - who never made a senior appearance for Mayo, before moving to the AFL in 2008 and playing there until 2020 - Dermot Flanagan - who won seven Connacht titles with Mayo and two All-Stars, in the 1980s and 90s - and current star David McBrien.

To celebrate for Mayo's 2026 All-Ireland win, the Sam Maguire will make its way to the town on Thursday, July 30, as part of the homecoming tour.

After the All-Ireland win, Moran commented on the unique state of his hometown.

He said: “Listen, my town — it’s a Roscommon border town with Mayo. The people are brilliant. To me, it makes it exciting. Other people hate it because some people support Mayo and other people support Roscommon. I think that makes it great.

“When we were coming up today, there were Roscommon homes with Mayo flags. We have a great village, a great town. I love being from there. I’m very proud of it, and we’ll just try to keep building."