County convention runners still not set

With just a week to go until the county GAA convention, it is not yet clear how many contests will take place for positions on the executive.

There will certainly be a contest for the position of delegate to the Central council. There are two candidates, PJ McGuane from Cooraclare and Feakle’s Ger Hickey, both of whom are part of the outgoing executive.
McGuane recently announced that he would be stepping down as the Munster Council delegate to challenge for the Central council post. Last weekend, Hickey, the outgoing development officer, confirmed that he would also challenge for the position. Ennistymon’s John Fawl is the only other nominee for the post of development officer.
Four candidates have been nominated for the two posts of delegates to the Munster council. Inagh-Kilnamona’s James Breen has confirmed that he will not be seeking election. “I would not have the time that is necessary to give to this position so I am withdrawing from the race,” he said.
His withdrawal leaves three candidates on the list – Robert Frost, who is outgoing, Tom Downes and Johnnie Hill.
Downes is the outgoing Central Council delegate but steps down from that post having completed his term. Hill is the board vice-chairman, a position he has filled for the past two years and is the only nominee for this position for 2010. There has been speculation for some time that he was considering challenging to be elected as a delegate to either Munster or Central Council. To date, he hasn’t given an indication as to which of the two positions he might be seeking election to.
The board will be electing a new coaching officer, as the outgoing official Michael O’Connor has stepped down. The nominees for the post are Seán O’Halloran (Bodyke) and Anne Hayes (Lissycasey). Whether either or both will seek election as the county’s coaching officer remains to be seen.
O’Halloran is the chairman of the underage hurling board which holds its annual convention this Thursday night at the Auburn Lodge Hotel, Ennis. It is not clear if the Bodyke man will seek another term at the helm. He has been chairman for a number of years and tried to step down at the past two conventions but remained in the position when no one else would take on the role.
Bord na nÓg secretary, Rosaleen Monaghan, has indicated that she will be stepping down but it is understood that a number of appeals have been made for her to continue.
All of the outgoing officers in this board will have to step down next year under the association’s rules which now has limits on the terms that any officer can serve.
Mike Daly from Feakle is also nominated for the position of board secretary here.  The county convention will take place next Thursday at the Auburn Lodge at 6.30pm.