John Joe Doherty was named new Donegal manager late last night at another controversial monthly meeting of the county committee in Ballybofey.
Doherty, who was not in attendance, came through a divided meeting and was voted in by 27 votes to 19.
It had been speculated that either the joint managerial ticket of Declan Bonner and Charlie Mulgrew were going to be put forward for ratification, or else the application of their prime rival for the job, Doherty.
Bonner and Mulgrew had been critical of the way that at last month's sitting of the county committee; Doherty had been allowed to address the room, as they claimed that he was not the chosen delegate from the Naomh Mhuire club.
So, the pair used last night's meeting to speak to those in attendance and voice their unhappiness of the way the whole process had been conducted. Bonner spoke on behalf of Na Rossa, while Mulgrew did the same as the St Eunan's spokesperson.
'We're here to get the same opportunity as John Joe,' said Mulgrew. 'He has dragged our names through the mud.'
These feelings were echoed by Bonner, who had a motion in no confidence in the board rejected in accordance with rule 10 of the official guide, although many in attendance also called for the process to restart.
'I'm not here to canvas for votes or anything like that,' he said. 'But at this stage the whole process is flawed.' It was later learned both that he and Mulgrew plan to take their case to the Disputes Resolution Authority.
The position of Donegal manager has been in disarray since early September when Brian McIver resigned from the post after certain clubs from the county expressed a notion of no confidence in his abilities.
Then, in the hunt to find his successor last month, Doherty was initially offered the job, only to find out 15 minutes later that the offer no longer stood after he requested a meeting.
Bonner and Mulgrew were then informed they would be put forward for ratification, only for the clubs to vote in favour of giving Doherty the meeting he had originally sought.
In the last fortnight, Doherty and then the Bonner-Mulgrew partnership both met with the five-man selection committee, which is made up of chairman Sean Kelly, secretary Charlie O'Donnell, treasurer Charlie Cannon, former county manager PJ McGowan and former player Sean Ferriter.
'There was very little between the applications of Charlie Mulgrew and Declan Bonner, John Joe Doherty and indeed Jim McGuinness,' said Ferriter.
