AFL “constantly floating around” Kerry minor and under 20 teams
With Rob Monaghan and, more recently, Cillian Burke, already leaving Kerry football behind to accept Australian Football League contracts, it has now emerged that no less than seven other rising stars in the Kingdom have been contacted by clubs down under.
The worrying development was revealed by Kerry GAA Chairman, Patrick O’Sullivan, at the annual convention this Tuesday night.
He said the GAA will have to take some action regarding the AFL’s constant scrutiny of younger stars in Ireland.
“Procedure will have to be put in place where players cannot be taken without contributing to the club and counties who give so much to the development of these players,” the chairman stated.
The Dr Crokes clubman said representatives of the AFL “are constantly floating around” Kerry minor and under 20 teams.
“They come selling a professional sport to our younger players. It is hard for young players not to look at a professional career in sport,” he said, revealing that seven other Kerry players have recently been approached.
“If our younger players keep immigrating to Australia the outlook for Kerry senior teams going forward will not be a good one. Kerry players are at the heart and soul of our county and we have to figure out a method of retaining and keeping our players at home in Ireland,” Mr O’Sullivan said.
“We in Kerry aren’t the only county suffering from this issue – there are players from other counties choosing to immigrate as well. We will be calling on the GAA to form a committee to look into this matter,” he stressed.
He was speaking on a day when reports emerged that star Kerry and Dr Crokes defender Kayleigh Cronin – player of the match in this year’s All-Ireland final – has been approached by AWFL side Adelaide Crows.
The chairman said the population trends throughout the county, based on a new demographic report circulated at the AGM, shows the movement of people is towards the towns and villages, mostly in the central and regions of the county.
“It outlines the challenges that clubs are going to face over the next decade, with the lack of juvenile members coming through in parts of north Kerry and all of south Kerry. Going forward clubs will have to look at amalgamations at underage level,” he advised.
He said the lack of public services in south Kerry is an issue for families building houses while Dingle and Killarney face a different challenge with the lack of affordable houses and difficulties in getting planning permission.
“Clubs will have to plan for a lack of numbers. The demographic report also shows the effect of the new Irish moving into our towns and villages. With this influx comes other problems,” Mr O’Sullivan stated.
“These people come from various backgrounds and religions and they have various other interests rather than the Gaelic games. The GAA doesn’t appeal to all of these people so we, as an association, have to reach out and welcome these people into our clubs”.
Mr O’Sullivan also told delegates that, going forward, Kerry GAA has to work much closer with Kerry County Council and local elected representatives.
“The knowledge and advice they can give on planning for club developments and funding under different schemes is invaluable,” he said.
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