Copyright irishmirror
Taoiseach Micheal Martin was left disappointed on Sunday as he took in the Cork Senior Football Championship final at Páirc Uí Chaoimh. St Finbarr's defeated Nemo Rangers by 1-14 to 1-13 in a ultra-competitive contest. The Fianna Fail leader was in attendance for the decider, with his son Micheál Aodh Martin, playing in goal for Nemo Rangers, who lost their third senior final in a row as St Finbarr's lifted the Andy Scannell Cup for the first time since 2021. Steven Sherlock scored 0-05 for St Finbarr's, with dual star Brian Hayes named Player of the Match, as they defeated Nemo for the first time in a final at the fifth attempt. The Taoiseach was in attendance as his position as Fianna Fail leader comes under pressure. Some backbenchers have called for a discussion about a change of leadership in the wake of the presidential election. Party candidate in that election, Jim Gavin , announced weeks before polling day that he was withdrawing from the race after it emerged he owed a former tenant thousands of euro, which he has since repaid. Fianna Fail's management of the candidate selection process and resulting campaign has put the leadership's decision-making under the microscope. Mr Gavin was recommended to the party by Mr Martin and deputy leader Jack Chambers after expressions of interest from other hopefuls including MEP Billy Kelleher and former taoiseach Bertie Ahern. Fianna Fail TDs John McGuinness and John Lahart stated over the weekend that the party needed to have a discussion about the judgment of the leadership. On Monday, Transport Minister Darragh O'Brien said the "vast majority" of the party's 48 TDs and 20 senators "support Micheal Martin as leader unquestionably". He said: "If you look at the 14 years that Micheal Martin has led Fianna Fail, he's brought the party back literally from the brink, back to be the largest party in government: 48 TDs in the last election just less than a year ago, and he has shown great leadership over the course of that." Mr O'Brien said an internal review into the election was under way.
