THE election of Jarlath Burns as the next President of the GAA may have grabbed the majority of the headlines from Congress over the weekend, but Antrim and Gort na Móna were also celebrating as Terry Reilly was elected to the GAA's Coiste Bainistí (Management Committee).

His election bridges a gap all the way back to the 1950s when Seamus McFerran - who would later become President and have the Ulster Club Football Championship trophy named in his honour - was the last Antrim man to hold the position.

Reilly is a well-known face in local and national GAA circles, having held a number of roles for club and county, plus seeing on a number of committees at Croke Park including the Digital Sliotar Work Group and the Age Grade Task Force.

His election comes following the end of the three-year term of Armagh's Paul Duggan who urged the West Belfast man to put his name forward for election and he was duly elected at GAA Congress over the weekend.

"The club is proud as punch," said Reilly who will move straight into the role.

"My wife asked me how many hours there are in the day because I have these various roles: treasurer of the club for the past three years, chairman twice and I'm still refereeing. I was vice-chair of Antrim, ran the hearings committee and also Gort na Móna's county representative."

Terry has been Antrim's representative to the Ard Chomhairle, which is the GAA's Central Council.

Its role is to form policy and approve anything from finance to rules before it is put to Congress. Policy can be set by Central Council, of which he has been involved with for two years.

The GAA's Management Committee is led by the Ard Stiúrthóir (Director General) and Uachtarán (President) which are the two leading figures in the Association.

In total, there are 15 members with the rest made up of all four provincial chairpersons in addition to other elected and appointed representatives.

Four members of Central Council also make up this body of which Terry is now Ulster's representative alongside his contemporaries from the other provinces, plus two trustees.

"Part of the business we would go through on a Saturday at the monthly Ard Chomhairle meetings would include the likes of a case we had regarding a young player who played whilst unaware he was suspended, having been told his red card was overturned," he explained.

"That would be one aspect of what is dealt with, but also sponsorship deals, finances, rule changes and so on.

"The meeting on the Friday evening before would set the pace for what happens on a Saturday, so for the first time I'll be sitting in that Friday meeting to influence how the following day goes, so there is a fair bit of responsibility."