Former boss Pat Scanlan ran unopposed for the manager’s position after the GAA’s elections held Dec. 11 were declared null and void. Frank Brady, who was appointed last month, stood aside this time, but he and his supporters were clearly unset at the turn of events.
Outgoing New York supremo Leslie McGettigan said afterward that “the whole thing looked very bad and had the look of a set up.”
Brady told the Irish Echo that he was ” absolutely disgusted” with the meeting’s outcome and likened its proceedings to a “kangaroo court.”
The drama began on Thursday night when dissatisfaction was expressed with the running of the Dec. 11 meeting, the results of which were sent back to the Senior Football Division by the executive board.
On Thursday, Scanlan stepped down as chairman of the division, and when the dust settled the positions were vacant and had to be contested again.
Brady said afterward that he felt that a few disgruntled players had set the events in motion and that he had been brought down by “rumor, innuendo and gossip.”
“There were no specifics,” he said.
For his part, Scanlan said he expects that “there will be no problems” resulting from the manner in which he got the job.
He must now begin preparation for New York’s game against Mayo on May 2 at Gaelic Park in the first round of the Connaght Championship.
“Sca” comes well qualified, aside from is previous stint as manager, having guided Clare to the N.Y. senior football title last season.
On Thursday, the chairman’s gavel went to Donie O’Sullivan, while Damien Devlin and Larry McCarthy were elected vice chairman and secretary, respectively. All were unopposed, but Seamus Collins added an extra bit of drama to the proceedings when he refused to continue as the division’s representative to the scheduling committee and no else could be persuaded to take on the assignment.
When the nominations for the senior football manager’s title came, only Pat Scanlan’s name went forward, and the job was his.
Sean Price (Cavan), Seamus Dooley (Monaghan) and O’Sullivan (Cork) were quickly chosen as selectors to join Scanlan in plotting a course to topple Mayo in the spring. A fourth selector will be appointed by the Junior Football Division at their meeting this Thursday.