Barry axed ahead of adjourned convention

Former Meath senior football manager Eamonn Barry has been sent to the departure lounge ahead of next Monday night's adjourned GAA convention. Barry's bid to retain the position of coaching officer at last December's annual convention was thwarted amid chaotic scenes as a war of words erupted with Co Committee chairman Barney Allen. Barry took over the coaching officer's role from Brian Carberry in 2010 after the St Vincent's clubman was sidelined by the five-year rule. At last month's convention Barry was informed by the Co Committee chairman that he was ineligible to contest the position as he was not a registered member of the GAA. This information was imparted to the meeting only seconds before the vote for the final position on the management committee was due to be finalised. Barry, who had participated fully in the voting process for all the other elections, refuted the chairman's allegations. Before the meeting started Martin O'Halloran, who had been nominated for the position of PRO, was told that he was also ineligible as he was not properly registered. It is understood that Barry will not be permitted to attend the meeting next Monday night although the Co Committee was unwilling to clarify that matter. Such a development would pave the way for the sole remaining candidate, Castletown's PJ Cudden, to take over the role of coaching officer although it was not clarified at the December convention whether he was interested in the role or not. There were four nominees, Barry, Cudden, Damien Sheridan and Eamonn O'Brien. The Co Committee chairman confirmed that both Sheridan and O'Brien were not seeking the position. Meath Co Committee secretary Cyril Creavin told the Meath Chronicle that the onus was on each club to make sure that their delegates to convention were properly registered. Kiltale's Paddy Kelly will also miss next Monday night's meeting due to a suspension that was imposed by Leinster Council. The Kiltale clubman should be eligible to attend the adjourned first Co Committee the following Monday 23rd January. There is a packed agenda for Monday night with the adjourned convention scheduled for a 7.30 start with registration at 7.0. The first meeting of the Co Committee will take place after the adjourned convention. That meeting was originally scheduled for Monday 23rd January, but the management committee want to get the ball rolling early as there are a number of motions to be discussed in relation to the format for the forthcoming 2012 leagues and championships.