Laois GAA hopeful Justin McNulty will remain as football manager despite political controversy in SDLP

Laois GAA are hopeful Justin McNulty will remain the county’s senior football manager despite the ongoing political controversy surrounding the former Armagh player. The SDLP suspended McNulty from the party on Sunday after he left the first sitting of the new Northern Ireland Assembly at Stormont on Saturday to manage Laois in their National Football League Division Four fixture at Wexford Park.

He flew south in a helicopter from Newtownards Airport, and while McNulty was in attendance for the start of that historic sitting in Stormont, the 2002 All-Ireland winner left before his party colleague Matthew O’Toole was confirmed as leader of the opposition.

McNulty was not present in Stormont from approximately 2.40pm onwards. The Laois-Wexford game started at 6pm in Wexford Park, with the O’Moore County running out 1-19 to 0-12 winners.

A Member of the Legislative Assembly (MLA) for Newry and Armagh, McNulty was appointed Laois senior football manager in October – returning to the county he previously coached between 2010-2013. However, on confirmation of his appointment in Laois last year the SDLP quickly raised concerns over juggling both roles and so this row has been brewing for some time – with McNulty’s decision to leave Stormont on Saturday finally prompting matters to boil over.

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With the political situation continuing to develop throughout Monday, several members of the Laois GAA executive committee declined to comment when contacted, but there is a feeling within the county that McNulty will remain at the helm.

Laois are currently joint top of the Division Four table having won their opening two games – victories over Longford and Wexford. Their next fixture is at home to Carlow on Saturday, February 17th.

McNulty’s future within the SDLP is in doubt. Speaking on BBC’s Good Morning Ulster on Monday, Mr O’Toole said the party was not aware McNulty would be leaving Stormont to attend the match in Wexford. “It was a very important day, we informed all of our MLAs that attendance for the entirety of this sitting was mandatory. We were not informed Justin would not be there, we were not informed he was going to leave at all, nor actually was permission sought.”

It is believed the SDLP has offered McNulty the option of returning as a councillor instead, but there have been soundings from the former Armagh player that he is considering staying on as an MLA but sitting as an independent if not reinstated by the SDLP.

Colum Eastwood, leader of the SDLP, spoke to the media in Stormont on Monday about the impasse. He told the media: “I expect 100 per cent from all my MLAs, I won’t accept 50 per cent from one of them but we’re very clear the door is open for Justin to come back in if he wants, we’ve made a very generous offer to him but that’s on him and we’re ready and willing to listen.

“I can’t make people do things they don’t want to do but all I can say is this, the SDLP is very clear, being an MLA in this place, particularly now the Assembly is back up and running, is a full-time job, and I don’t think our constituents would expect anything less. As I’ve said from the very beginning of this process, the two positions aren’t compatible.”

Ends.

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