McGeeney lost out by one vote
ELEVEN of Kildare’s 16 senior football clubs voted against Kieran McGeeney remaining as manager of the county’s senior football team.
While McGeeney’s future was ultimately decided by one vote, a number of abstentions on the night proved costly. Moorefield, home of Kildare midfielder Daryl Flynn, abstained as did Sallins, Ardclough hurling and Handball. Bord na nÓg officer Pat Dunney, who would have had a vote on the night, did not attend the meeting. The referees and Cumann na mBunscol reps were also absent on the night.
It’s clear from the voting that McGeeney lost a lot of support from clubs in the south of the county. Athy voted against, as did clubman Eddie Lawlor, who had a vote as chairman of the hurling board. Neighbours St Laurence’s (a hurling and football club) had four votes that all went against McGeeney including those of Central Council delegate John Joe Walsh and Leinster Council delegate Mick Gorman. Other south Kildare clubs against McGeeney included: Castlemitchell, Monasterevin, Suncroft and Grange, although Nurney, Rheban, Castledermot, Ballykelly and Ellistown were in favour.
While McGeeney had the backing of the county board chairman, John McMahon, crucially he lost the support of treasurer, Martin Whyte, who voted against him despite his club, Kilcullen, voting in favour of the Armagh man. Despite the fallout from the Seanie Johnston transfer saga, whereby he played one minute of a club senior hurling championship game in order to make himself eligible to play with the county footballers, four hurling clubs supported McGeeney: Naas, Eire Og, Coill Dubh and Broadford
Of the 11 clubs represented by Kildare’s starting 15 in their All-Ireland qualifier defeat to Tyrone this summer, six (St Laurence’s, Athy, Two Mile House, Celbridge, Eadestown, Clane) voted against McGeeney while four (Naas, Carbury, Johnstownbridge, Allenwood) voted in favour.
FOR
Clubs – Allenwood, Ballykelly, Broadford, Carbury, Castledermot, Clogherinkoe, Coill Dubh, Eire Og, Ellistown, Johnstownbridge, Kilcock, Kilcullen, Kill, Milltown, Naas, Naas Hurling, Nurney, Rheban, Robertstown, St Kevin’s; County Board Officers – John McMahon (Chairman), Ger Donnelly (Vice-Chairman), Henry Barrett (PRO), Colm Farrell (Development Officer), Alan Dunney (Coaching Officer), Ella Doran (Youth Officer), Syl Merrins (Leinster Council delegate), Peadar O Murchu (Irish Officer).
TOTAL: 28
AGAINST
Clubs – Athy, Athgarvan, Ballymore, Ballyteague, Caragh, Castlemitchell, Celbridge, Clane, Confey, Eadestown, Grange, Kildangan, Leixlip, Maynooth, Monasterevin, Rathangan, Raheens, Rathcoffey, Round Towers, Sarsfields, St Laurence’s, St Laurence’s Hurling, Straffan, Suncroft, Two Mile House; County Board Officers – Martin Whyte (Treasurer), John Joe Walsh (Central Council delegate), Mick Gorman (Leinster Council delegate), Eddie Lawlor (Hurling Board Chairman).
TOTAL: 29
ABSTENTIONS
Moorefield, Ardclough Hurling, Sallins, Handball
ABSENTEES
Pat Dunney (Bord na nOg), Tommy O’Rourke (Referees), Cumann na mBunscol, Ros Glas, Cappagh, Kill Hurling
