Calleary’s Leadership Hopes Dashed As Former Favourite Drifts Following Golfgate

Punters have turned their backs on Dara Calleary’s prospects of being a future leader of Fianna Fáil after he resigned as deputy leader of the party.

Micheál Martin confirmed the move on Monday as the fallout continues over Calleary’s attendance at the Oireachtas golf event, which appeared to breach the government’s own Covid-19 social distancing guidelines.

The Mayo TD, who had only been in his position as Agriculture Minister for five weeks, had been the joint 5/2 frontrunner with BoyleSports to take over from Micheál Martin as Fianna Fáil leader just last week. But his chances have been pushed out to a remote 25/1 after the latest crisis to hit the coalition government.

Jim O’Callaghan is now being favoured as Martin’s eventual successor and he has shortened into 15/8 favourite from 5/2 to be the next leader of the party.

The chances of another general election this year have also been backed into 9/2 from 8/1 since the weekend.

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