Defeated Cooney left counting the cost of Cork's decision

CORK's controversial stance on Rule 42 - ruling out a vote last week at board level - cost Christy Cooney crucial votes and possibly the presidency of the GAA, it has been claimed.

It has emerged that at least one northern county switched allegiance to presidential rival Nicky Brennan after the outcome of the Cork meeting and another may have done likewise.

"What Cork did soured a lot of people," commented one senior source who reckoned the Corkman had lost support over the few days before the weekend. Cooney didn't make any comment on the speculation that he had been harmed by the decision taken by Cork in tying themselves to a decision of the 2003 convention to reject Rule 42 proposals.