League officers threaten resignation

The return of former chairman Frank Healy to a position on the executive of the Clare Junior Soccer League hasn’t met with universal approval, as two of the incoming executive are refusing to take their places on the 2012/2013 committee.

Registrar Leo Murphy from Bridge United and vice-chairman Paul Tuohy (Newmarket Celtic) have informed their fellow officers that they will not serve on the new committee.
“I haven’t put anything in writing yet but I have informed the officers that I will not be taking my place in that committee,” Leo Murphy told The Clare Champion this week. Paul Tuohy, a former chairman of the league, has also confirmed that he is stepping down. “There is no point in beating about the bush. There are issues that have to be dealt with,” said Mr Tuohy.
In addition to the officers, there are two committee members elected to the executive each year.
There were four nominees for the posts ahead of last week’s meeting. Mr Tuohy’s re-appointment as vice-chairman meant that there were then three candidates for two positions. They were Pádraig McCullough, Frank Healy (both former chairmen of the league) and Tom Nestor, who withdrew from the race.
Mr Nestor from Sporting Ennistymon, told the meeting that Mr McCullough and Mr Healy had both given long service to Clare soccer and he felt that they were “more deserving of election in this the 50th anniversary of the league”. His decision to step down cleared the way for the automatic election of McCullough and Healy. Healy, a long-time driving force behind Kilmaley United, is also a former league registrar.
Clare League chairman Donie Garrihy expressed confidence this week that the impasse will be resolved. “Leo Murphy is a tremendous registrar who is liked by all of the clubs. He is a former player and a winner of premiership and cup medals. Paul Tuohy is an officer of great experience. We cannot afford to lose people of that experience,” he told The Clare Champion.