The Mayo county board has revealed that John O'Mahony turned down their offer to manage the Westerners' senior football team.

The ex-Galway boss topped Mayo’s wanted list after John Maughan resigned as boss last week.

Mayo secretary Sean Feeney told the Irish Daily Star: “We offered it to John last week and he took a couple of days to think it over. He told us over the weekend that he wouldn’t be taking the job.”

Feeney added: “We tried to persuade him to change his mind but he said that he wasn’t ready to go back to intercounty management – he told us that he wouldn’t be taking any county team next year.

“He has made his decision and that is it - The chapter is closed.”

The county board must now start again in their search for a new manager. Maughan had led the Westerners to All-Ireland finals only to taste defeat in 1996, 1997 and 2004.

O’Mahony resigned from the position of Galway manager last year after seven years at the helm. The Tribesmen won two All-Irelands during his tenure.

He said: “I want to end the talk and the speculation. I won’t be going back into team management this year. I have made my decision and I will be sticking by it.”

O’Mahony was favourite to return to the position he held in the early ‘90s but after ruling himself out the hunt resumes.

While there are options available within the county, former Westmeath and Kerry boss Paidi O’Se has stated that he is interested in taking the job