Board clears way for O'Connor to take reins in Kerry

JACK O'CONNOR was last night unanimously ratified as the new Kerry football manager for a two-year term, replacing Páidi Ó Sé.

The 42-year-old O'Connor is the first South Kerry man since Mick O'Dwyer to hold the position.

County Board delegates rubber-stamped the appointment of the Dromid Pearses coach, and that of his two selectors, Ger O'Keeffe and Johnny Culloty, at a meeting in Tralee.

It was also announced that former Kerry goalkeeper, Charlie Nelligan, will replace O'Connor as the Kingdom's U21 coach.

Following the furore over Páidi Ó Sé's resignation as manager after eight years at the helm, county board chairman Sean Walsh insisted last night: "It's time to move on. It's been a very trying last couple of weeks for everyone."

Sadly, O'Connor was unable to savour his appointment last night, following the death of his mother, Sheila, on Sunday. Board officers attended the removal in South Kerry before returning to Tralee for last night's meeting. O'Connor's selection of former Kingdom defender, Ger O'Keeffe of Austin Stacks and Legion's Johnny Culloty, the former Kerry goalkeeper, will provide a vastly experienced backroom team, and will, according to one delegate last night "offer a perfect rural-urban mix".

Board chairman Sean Walsh won considerable support from delegates for his handling of the Páidi Ó Sé controversy, despite claims by the former coach that the three-man board executive charged with the management issue had handled it badly.

Meanwhile, Clare coach John Kennedy had his six-month ban handed down by the Kerry County Board upheld at last night's meeting.

The suspension, arising out of an incident at a juvenile game earlier this year, will be backdated to the August 28 date of the meeting which agreed the decision. It means he will be eligible to coach Clare from the sidelines from the end of February.

Board chiefs also relented last night in agreeing to allow Ballyduff senior and U21 football teams compete in the North Kerry championship.

The club was hit with a series of stiff penalties after the furore which marred their Kerry SHC semi-final defeat by Kilmoyley, including a ban on any of its senior teams competing in county competitions.

On appeal, Board chiefs excluded Ballyduff minors from the suspension, and last night delegates backed an appeal by club chairman Anthony O'Carroll to reinstate the footballers into divisional board competitions.

Delegates voted by 34-7 votes to allow the seniors play in the North Kerry football championship, and 26-5 to play in the U21 championship.