O’Neill eyes the presidency

LIAM O’NEILL, who replaced Nickey Brennan as Leinster Council chairman and has ambitions to succeed him as GAA President, has admitted that circumstances forced him to declare his 2008 candidature earlier than he would have wished.

Although yet to be formally nominated, he is one of three to have confirmed his intention to run for the presidency in a year’s time.

A former secretary of the Laois County Board and a schoolteacher, O’Neill explained over the week-end that his particular situation had been brought about by what he described as “the Tipperary primary” election — when outgoing Munster chairman Sean Fogarty and Central Council delegate Con Hogan were both proposed, and Hogan withdrew.