Kevin McStay

Born in Castlebar, County Mayo, McStay was introduced to Gaelic football by his father, a former player with the Tuam Stars. He played some Gaelic football at college level with St Muredach's College and St Jarlath's College; however, he experienced little success before coming to prominence at under-age levels with the Ballina Stephenites club. A two-time championship medal winner with the Ballina Stephenites senior club, he later won a championship medal with Roscommon Gaels. McStay also lined out for Ballymun Kickhams.

McStay made his debut on the inter-county scene at the age of sixteen when he first linked up with the Mayo minor team. A two-time Connacht medal winner in this grade, he later won one All-Ireland medal with the under-21 team. McStay made his senior debut during the 1983 championship. He went on to play a key role for Mayo in attack during a successful era and won two Connacht medals. McStay was an All-Ireland runner-up on one occasion.

As a member of the Connacht inter-provincial team on a number of occasions, McStay never won a Railway Cup medal. Throughout his inter-county career, he made 56 appearances and scored a total of 7–122.[2] 17 of these appearances were in the championship. McStay retired from inter-county football after breaking his leg while playing against Castlebar one week after Mayo's exit from the 1990 championship.[3]

McStay's brother, Paul McStay, and his brother-in-law, Liam McHale, also played with Mayo.

Sean Rice of The Mayo News named McStay on his "Best Mayo Team Since 1960" in 2010.[2]

In retirement from playing McStay became an analyst with The Sunday Game; however, he remained involved as a manager and coach. At inter-county level he led the Roscommon minor team before guiding the Mayo under-21 team to a Connacht title in 2001. As a club manager he steered Roscommon Gaels to championship success in 2004, before guiding St Brigid's to the All-Ireland title in 2013.[4][5] McStay was appointed joint-manager of the Roscommon senior team on 5 October 2015 and took over as manager in October 2016.[6][7] He led the Roscommon team that won the 2017 Connacht Senior Football Championship, beating Galway 2–15 to 0-12, in Pearse Stadium, Salthill.[8]

McStay got himself into bother while his team were playing Donegal in the 2018 Championship, involving himself in a number of different incidents with match officials, shoving a linesman in a chest and hurling a football at full force in the direction of another. A lengthy ban resulted.[9][10] However, he resigned as Roscommon manager before the ban was completed. Announcing his departure on 5 September 2018, he stated that he could bring the team no further. At this time, a vacancy had arisen in his native county following the earlier resignation as Mayo senior manager of Stephen Rochford, and McStay was linked with the job; however, McStay announced, on 5 September 2018, that "today marks my retirement from senior inter-county football management".[11]