Croke Park must be more proactive to halt player drain

I found myself searching sports channels on Saturday morning trying to catch a glimpse of Dingle’s Mark O’Connor making his AFL debut for the Geelong Cats against Essendon.
Croke Park must be more proactive to halt player drain

I didn’t realise there would be two other former Gaelic footballers in the same game, with Laois native Zach Touhy and Tyrone’s Conor McKenna also playing.

Mark O’Connor has long been on the radar in his native county since catching the eye in the development squad structure. He then progressed to Pobalscoil Chorca Dhuibhne where he won Hogan Cups before being one of the standout players in Kerry’s All-Ireland MFC winning team. Needless to say he had Kerry fans salivating at the prospect of what he could do in a senior jersey for the next decade or so as he reached his prime. He was everything you would look for in a top-level footballer. Two-footed, great hands, and had the wheels to get all over the field. He was one of the rare talents that only come around every so often.

Already a subscriber? Sign in

You have reached your article limit.

Unlimited access. Half the price.

Annual €130 €65

Best value

Monthly €12€6 / month

More in this section

Sport

Newsletter

Latest news from the world of sport, along with the best in opinion from our outstanding team of sports writers. and reporters

Cookie Policy Privacy Policy Brand Safety FAQ Help Contact Us Terms and Conditions

© Examiner Echo Group Limited