O’Donoghue triumphs in close-run selection battle

FORMER Ceann Comhairle and sitting Fianna Fáil TD for Kerry South John O’Donoghue last night held off a strong challenge from a party councillor to win a nomination to fight the next general election.

He defeated Michael Cahill from Rossbeigh by 160 votes to 138 at a convention in the Gleneagle Hotel, Killarney.

The convention was directed by FF headquarters to nominate just one candidate and two other nominees — Senator Mark Daly and Cllr Tom Fleming — withdrew their names before voting began.