Sean McCague runs this afternoon as favourite to succeed Joe McDonagh next year. As runner-up in the last election three years ago in London, he has paid his dues and followed the route travelled by the last three presidents.
Despite the stress of being a frontrunner for all that time, McCague has come through in good shape. His defeat by McDonagh was seen in some quarters as being nearly heavy enough to cast doubt on his prospects this time but that has not been the case.
At 53, he has a formidable management track record on the field and off. Although he rarely played football at a standard much higher than junior, his managerial achievements are considerable.
In 1979 he took Monaghan to a first Ulster title in 41 years and in the years that followed, he led his county to the final of the Centenary Cup, a National Football League title in 1985 and further Ulster titles in 1985 and '88. He also acted as assistant manager to Eugene McGee with the Ireland International Rules panel in both 1987 and '90.
As an administrator he has served at county, provincial and national level. Currently chairman of the policy and planning committee, he is best remembered as chairman of the GAC between 1991 and '94 when his hard line on discipline was applied without equivocation although anomalies inevitably arose when provincial councils were supposed to follow the national lead.
McCague has never sought to hide his Ulster perspective on GAA affairs and although he was one of the more considered contributors to the Rule 21 debate last year, there was no attempt to fudge his basic beliefs that the rule should remain until the Northern policing issue is settled. This reflects the position adopted by the GAA at last May's special congress.
The priority for his presidency would be the promotion of the GAA: "Keeping the association attractive to our youth and meeting other challenges dealing with organisation and the lack of planning in Dublin and the satellite towns. We have to deal with the problems in society which are impacting on us - the affluence of a large section of the population and the poverty of other sections."
