Oisín Mullin's Talks with Mayo Coach About All-Ireland Final Return
Oisín Mullin has confirmed he held talks with Mayo boss Andy Moran about a sensational return for the All-Ireland final – only for the pull of Geelong’s AFL campaign to close the door.
The former Young Footballer of the Year, a central figure in Mayo’s All-Ireland final appearances in 2020 and 2021, has been based in Australia since late 2022 after signing with Geelong. The link with home, though, has never really faded.
Geelong coach Chris Scott revealed on Fox Sports at the weekend that Moran had picked up the phone last week, floating the idea that Mullin might briefly swap codes and continents to line out for Mayo in the decider, then fly back to resume AFL duty.
Speaking to Australia’s Channel 7 ahead of Geelong’s clash with Collingwood, Mullin confirmed the conversation took place.
“I did have a chat with the coach back home and obviously Chris (Scott) here,” he said.
The dialogue didn’t come out of nowhere. Mullin spent an extended spell back in Ireland during the AFL off-season, a window Geelong were happy to grant him.
“In the off-season, Geelong gave me an extended period at home and I was fortunate that Mayo let me join them to train in the off-season as well, so there was that connection there,” he explained.
That connection prompted Moran’s bold enquiry. Could Mullin, still only 26 and once the rising star of Mayo’s defence, really fly in after Geelong’s game against Melbourne, play in an All-Ireland final, and head straight back to Australia?
Scott had already outlined the scenario on Fox Sports: “Oisín Mullin had taken a phone call from the Mayo coach just planting a seed about possibly, after our game against Melbourne on Friday night, that he might be able to pop over to Ireland to play in the final and then come back.”
The idea was romantic. The reality was ruthless.
“The coach just touched base with me from home and had a chat with Scotty, but the circumstances around where we are in the ladder here and the time of season, it just didn’t work out,” Mullin said.
So he stayed put. No dramatic late flight, no one-off return in green and red. Instead, Mullin watched from afar as Mayo finally shattered a 75-year wait for Sam Maguire.
“I was just excited watching on from here and see the boys get the result and get it done,” he said.
Even from the other side of the world, he could feel the scale of it.
“It was massive. It’s been 75 years since they’ve won it. There’s been so many finals that Mayo have played in and not managed to get over the line.
“To finally get it done, the whole county has gone into lockdown. The celebrations are off the charts, it looks unbelievable.”
For Mayo fans, Mullin’s story carries an extra twist. He was one of the breakout stars in that 2020 campaign, earning an All-Star and the Young Footballer of the Year award as Mayo reached the final. He backed it up in 2021 with another run to the decider, cementing his status as one of the county’s brightest modern talents before the AFL came calling.
Now he is deep into life at Geelong, currently in his fourth season at the club. Last year he played in the AFL Grand Final, where Geelong fell to back-to-back champions Brisbane Lions.
Mullin stands as a symbol of a generation that came close but never climbed the steps of the Hogan Stand with Sam. This time, he watched others do what his team could not. The medal will belong to a different Mayo side, but the question will linger: if the timing had been kinder, would Oisín Mullin have been on that podium too?
