Kerry to ratify full-time county board secretary

KERRY are the latest county to ratify the process of appointing a full-time GAA secretary. A proposal at this week’s county board meeting means each of the six Munster counties has now gone the road of appointing a full-time salaried official to administrate affairs.

Pending authorisation from HQ, the process will require a bye-law change at county convention in December. The full time post is partly funded by Croke Park and the contract of employment will be for seven years.

Meanwhile, Kerry minor boss John Kennedy has made three changes and a series of positional switches for Sunday’s Munster MFC final against Tipperary at Páirc Uí Chaoimh (noon). Greg Gibson starts at right half-back, James Coffey plays at centre-back while Damien Kelly plays full-forward. Michael Finnegan, Jeremy Hoare and Declan Doody make way.

Danny Wrenn goes to left corner-back, Niall Fitzgerald moves to left half-back, with Jack Sherwood and Donal O’Sullivan forming a new midfield partnership. In attack Niall O’Shea starts at right half-forward, Shane Carroll switches to centre-forward, Ian Galvin moves inside to right corner-forward and Eanna O’Connor will play at left corner-forward.

For Tipperary, Ross McGrath moves from centre forward to the edge of the square. His place is taken by Michael Ivors who moves from top of the right, with Liam Treacy taking over at 13.

KERRY (MF v Tipperary): P O’Sullivan (Churchill); M Galvin (Ballymacelligott), P Galvin (Ballymacelligott), D Wren (Tarbert); G Gibson (Waterville), J Coffey (Beaufort), N Fitzgerald (Waterville); J Sherwood (Firies), D O’Sullivan (Rathmore); N O’Shea (Dromid Pearses), S Carroll (Austin Stacks), M Brennan (Churchill); I Galvin (Derrynane), D Kelly (St Michael’s/Foilmore), E O’Connor (St Michael’s/Foilmore).

Subs: P McCarthy (Rathmore), D Doody (Austin Stacks), M Griffin (St Michael’s/Foilmore), M Reen (Rathmore), M Thiemann (St Michael’s/Foilmore), J Hoare (Glenbeigh-Glencar), P O’Connor (Gneeveguilla), D Culhane (Ballylongford), S O’Brien (Kenmare).

TIPPERARY (MF v Kerry): A Wall (Cahir); P Dalton (Arravale Rovers), J Ryan (Ardfinnan), G Quinn (Clonmel Og); L Murphy (Ballylooby/Castlegrace), G Mulhair (Arravale Rovers) [Capt], D Dwyer (Moyle Rovers); E Kendrick (Cahir), J Lonergan (Moyle Rovers); T Hill (Moyle Rovers), M Ivors (Ballingarry) R Peters (Cahir); L Treacy (Loughmore/Castleiney), R McGrath (Newport), B Hewitt (Ardfinnan). Subs: O Byrne (Rockwell Rovers), J Carroll (Inane Rovers), B O’Hara (Clonmel Commercials), S Foley (Moyle Rovers), E Kent (Ballina), S O’Meara (Arravale Rovers), A Matassa (Clonmel Commercials), J McMahon (Inane Rovers), S Power (Clonmel Commercials).