Holleran retains his hold on the Football Board's hotseat

FRANK FARRAGHERIN CLAREGALWAY

JOHN Joe Holleran retained his position as Chairman of the Galway Football Board at convention in Loughgeorge last Thursday night last, seeing off the challenge of Monivea-Abbey’s Michael Ruane with over 20 votes to spare.

The contest for ‘the chair’ brought the biggest excitement of the night to the convention attended by 88 delegates – when the votes were counted,Holleran hoovered up 55 of them as against Ruane’s 33.It had been an intriguing contest with the Ruane camp basing their strategy on a mood for change in the county while Holleran stood on his record of work and achievement in the hot seat over the past four years.

One way or another, it will be the last year in the chair for the Clonbur clubman, whose five year term is up at convention next year.Prior to the election contest, Holleran had delivered an emotional address to delegates recalling some of the deeds of his childhood footballing hero in Sean Purcell.

He also said that one of his biggest regrets as chairman had been the decision to let Liam Sammon go as manager and he also explained why Joe Kernan’s term ended after one year.

The chairman revealed that they were prepared to ‘go with him’ for another year but decided otherwise, because of the scale of the back-up team that was required.

He said that at last year’s interviews for the position, Tomás Ó Flatharta had ‘ticked all the right boxes’ but things just hadn’t worked out for Galway in the league and championship.

When everything was considered this Autumn, it was decided not to go with an outside manager and to select someone from within the county who had a solid track record up through the under-age ranks. He said that when the Aer Arann sponsorship fell through due to the current financial times, the Board decided to link up with Cancer Care West in what had proven to be a very successful partnership.

For more, read this week's Connacht Tribune.