Donegal has become only the second Ulster county to back deletion of Rule 21 and the first in the current round of decision-making. The vote was a substantial 34-4 in favour of abolition and is a significant marker in the campaign to do away with the contentious provision.
Three years ago before the last special congress on the issue, the county voted to back the cross-border counties in the province who opposed removal en bloc.
This means that all three southern Ulster counties are likely to support repeal. GAA president Sean McCague, who initiated next Saturday week's special congress on the issue, is from Monaghan and will be supported by his county whereas Cavan came the closest of all the northern counties to voting for deletion three years ago - the idea being defeated on a casting vote. So far three of the six cross-Border counties, Derry, Armagh and Fermanagh, have revealed their intentions to oppose repeal.
John O'Dwyer of Waterville, son of Kerry legend Micko, was last night elected by a big vote to one of the three Kerry senior football selectorial jobs that were up for grabs.
The 38-year-old Killorglin-based solicitor is joined by outgoing selectors Eamonn Walsh of Knocknagoshal and Eddie Tatler O'Sulivan of Dr Crokes. Sean Counihan, who had been involved in a very public row with Kerry manager Pβid∅ ╙ SΘ two years ago, failed to get back.
