Dublin midfielder Eamon Fennell has finally been given the blessing of the Dublin County Board to transfer to St. Vincent’s.
Fennell, who appeared on TV3’s Take Me Out dating show at the weekend, has been the subject of an incredibly drawn-out saga as he has attempted to leave Crumlin side O’Toole’s for 2008 All-Ireland champions Vincent’s for the last four seasons.
The saga finally came to an end when the Dublin County Board overturned a management recommendation that sought to block Fennell moving from O’Toole’s.
New Dublin chairman Andy Kettle confirmed that the board went in Fennell’s favour by a ‘sizeable majority’ despite the fact that management recommended that the transfer should not be granted.
“It’s quite a U-turn on last year when management recommended approval of the transfer but the board voted against it,” said Kettle.
O’Toole’s rejected a transfer request from Fennell in 2009, a move that forced him out of the Dublin squad for that year.
Fennell had expressed his frustration at not being able to move on numerous occasions and took his case to the Disputes Resolution Authority (DRA) last year after then Dublin chairman Gerry Harrington used his casting vote on a split board decision to oppose a management recommendation to allow him to move. The DRA sent the case back to Dublin but a second vote was lost heavily.
Fennell’s arrival at Vincent’s will be a significant boost to the Marino-based club who already have Dublin panel members Tomas Quinn, Ger Brennan and Diarmuid Connolly amongst their ranks.
