Meath football star picked for election battle

Gaelic football star Graham Geraghty will run on the Fine Gael ticket at the next election in Meath West.

At a selection convention of party members in Athboy tonight the footballer was chosen unopposed alongside sitting TD Damien English and Cllr Peter Higgins.

Two other candidates, Cllr Ray Butler and Gerry Gibney, who had been vying for support, withdrew from the race.

Tensions surfaced in the Meath West constituency over the last few weeks with some local councillors complaining they were being passed over in favour of the former Meath All Ireland-winning captain.

Trim councillor Ray Butler claimed there was a lot of ill-feeling about the issue in the constituency.

However, Geraghty was selected without a vote avoiding a potentially divisive split among party faithful in the area.