Two contests for positions at Tipperary GAA Convention

By Shane Brophy

Borris-Ileigh and Roscrea are great rivals on the field, but they will go head-to-head off the field in one of the two contests at the annual convention of Tipperary County Board in Thurles on Saturday week.

With outgoing county chairperson Joe Kennedy completing his three year term, to be succeeded unopposed by current vice-chairperson Nenagh Eire Og’s Jimmy Minogue, there will be a contest for vice-chair between Roscrea’s Mark McLoughlin and Borris-Ileigh’s Michael Tierney.

Principal at Scoil Eoin Naofa in Roscrea, Mark McLoughlin is the current county development officer having previously been on the county management committee as the clubs representative. Michael Tierney is the current North Board chairperson but will complete his term next Monday night at the divisional AGM, where he will be succeeded by Portroe’s Brendan Shanahan.

While contests for positions on the county board aren’t new, it is rare to see two candidates from the same division go head-to-head, particularly for such a key position which comes with it the role as chairperson of the county fixtures committee (CCC) and with it likely the next chairperson in three years’ time.

The only other contest at county convention will be for Tipperary’s two representatives at Munster Council with outgoing reps Sean Nugent (Kilsheelan/Kilcash) and Joe Kennedy (Moyne-Templetuohy) to be challenged by Michael McCarthy (Cappawhite) and John Morrissey (Galtee Rovers).