Byrne likely to succeed O Luanaigh

"taken from elevenaside.com"


November 8, 2004

Galway United official John Byrne, who lost out to Declan O Luanaigh in an election for the position of eircom League chairman earlier this year, is likely to finally land the job in an acting capacity at a meeting of the FAI’s Board of Management tonight (Monday).

Byrne and O Luanaigh went head-to-head for the position in a vote in March following the departure of Brendan Dillon.

O Luanaigh, who had been in the position in an acting capacity for two months prior to the poll, held off the challenge of the Galway man, but another battle for power is on the cards after he stepped down on Friday evening.

Former Dublin City official O Luanaigh had been one of ousted FAI Chief Executive Fran Rooney’s closest supporters, and his decision to quit his post as eircom League chief and his position on the FAI’s Board of Management is believed to have been taken as a mark of solidarity with his ally.

Byrne, who had been one of the most fervent opponents of the eircom Park project back in the late 1990s, is believed to be favourite to step into the eL chairman’s role in an acting brief at tonight’s Board of Management meeting.