Royal fury as Barry not allowed stand for coaching role

FORMER Meath senior football team manager Eamonn Barry was barred from standing for the position of coaching officer — a post he held for the last 12 months — at last night’s adjourned county convention in Navan.

At convention last month, Barry’s right to run for the post was questioned when chairman Barney Allen claimed the Walterstown club man was not a registered member of the association.

Barry disputed Allen’s assertion, reading out a membership number. However, at last night’s meeting the chairman ruled the registration was made after the closing date of March 31, 2011.

The outgoing coaching officer suggested the Walterstown club made an error by not registering him before the specified date.

Walterstown delegate John Daly asked why Barry, who had been a member of the GAA for 35 years, was being embarrassed and wondered how many people who voted at the convention were not registered members.

Former county board vice-chairman Eugene Comaskey said: “This is the most petty decision I’ve ever seen. Eamonn should have been contacted a few days before convention instead of doing a sneaky thing.”

Ann Gilsenan of the Kiltale club remarked: “Eamonn is a genuine GAA person and this could come back to bite us.”

The chairman claimed Barry, who had been involved in a few clashes with the top table in 2011, was not registered since 2003.

The position went to PJ Cudden, the only other nominated person interested in running.

Meanwhile the Donegal management team have confirmed they will start the National Football League without their two main forwards — Michael Murphy and Colm McFadden.

Captain Murphy underwent a minor operation yesterday and is expected to miss Donegal’s first three NFL outings, while McFadden is likely to be an absentee for a similar length of time due to a back injury.

While Murphy is often seen as Donegal’s talisman, it was McFadden who outscored his partner last season as the team managed by McGuinness won a first Ulster championship in 19 years and reached an All-Ireland semi-final, where they lost to Dublin.

McGuinness, whose team play Derry in their final Dr McKenna Cup fixture tomorrow evening in Ballybofey, confirmed his brother-in-law McFadden and Murphy will not be involved until March at the earliest.