Mayo All-Ireland winning manager Andy Moran ‘loved’ his time with Longford Town FC
Former Longford Town player and Mayo All-Ireland winnng manager Andy Moran said ‘When I was younger it was probably always my dream to play a bit of professional soccer’
But for a phone call from John Maughan, Mayo All-Ireland winning manager Andy Moran may have pursued a career in soccer.
Winner of a National U-21 Enda McGuill Cup medal with Longford Town FC back in 2003, Andy previously revealed that he ‘loved’ his time with Longford Town. And the club took to social media to congratulate Andy on his superb achievement today.
In an interview with Anne Marie Gibbons on Castletbar Community Radio in 2025, Andy explained how he almost ended up quitting Gaelic football.
"I came out of Minor and I wasn't really that good to be honest. I played two years of Minor and never really made the team. I was always more kind of a sub coming on. Two of my friends got straight called up into the U-21 team. I didn't get called up."
Andy then got offered the opportunity to play soccer for Longford Town instead.
"I loved it. I really enjoyed playing soccer. I was young, only 19 or 20 years of age. When I was younger it was probably always my dream to play a bit of professional soccer but I was getting to a stage where those opportunities were running out."
And then on a December day, Andy got a call from Mayo manager John Maughan and he joined up with the county's training panel.
"It was the players you were looking up to, when you were a teenager and then suddenly they're your teammates," Andy said.
And the rest is history, as they say.
Andy was part of a Mayo team that played in six All-Ireland finals, became an All-Star, was named Footballer of the Year in 2017 and today managed Mayo to their first All-Ireland title since 1951.
The Ballaghaderreen man is regarded as one of the best forwards Mayo has ever produced.
Prior to managing his home county, Andy managed Leitrim and he was also part of Gabriel Bannigan's Monaghan backroom team.
He also managed his native Ballaghaderreen along with current Longford manager Mike Solan ahead of the 2021 season.