Dempsey demands Stateside ban

INTER-COUNTY players should be banned from playing for clubs in the US until after their county has been eliminated from the All-Ireland series, qualifiers or Tommy Murphy Cup, according to Luke Dempsey.

The Longford manager has been fortunate — as has his opposite number in Saturday’s qualifier in Westmeath, Tomas Ó Flatharta — in that none of his players have taken the transatlantic option.

But other colleagues have not been so lucky.

Cavan boss Donal Keogan and Louth counterpart Eamonn McEneaney have both been hit badly by the defection of players Stateside since their respective defeats in provincial competitions and Dempsey believes action should be taken.

“It would frustrate any manager after putting in so much effort all year and then for players to abandon ship. That’s something that has to be looked at.

“It shouldn’t be allowed. There should be some rule in place where a county player can’t transfer to a club in the States until their county is finished.

“I can really empathise with Donal Keogan, Eamonn McEneaney or anyone else in that scenario. It’s a huge letdown.

“There is such support for players from county boards now as well.”

While many players and managers find it difficult to pick themselves up for the qualifiers, Dempsey has been one of the system’s chief advocates — and beneficiaries.

The Carlow native took Westmeath to within a whisker of an All-Ireland semi-final in the back door’s first year in 2001 and saw his present charges navigate a similar path that ended only with defeat to Kerry in round four last summer.

“You have to manage it well. In our case, we let the players go back to their clubs (after the defeat to Laois) realising there was five weeks between the Laois game and now. They have had eight months of intensive training, league matches and two intense championship matches.

“The break did everybody good. We went back at it last Friday, Saturday and Sunday. They have come back fresh. Our players have been very loyal. No one has opted out of the panel or decided to go abroad.”

Other Leinster counties have found less favour with the second chance saloon. Meath, Kildare, Offaly and Wexford have all fallen to average opponents in the recent past but Dempsey has his own theories on that.

“Leinster football has got stronger in the last couple of years. I think we will see Leinster counties having more of a say in the championship.

“There’s 12 counties in Leinster as well and that makes it a very hard province to win. Sligo are in a provincial final having won one serious game against Roscommon. Leinster takes so much more out of managers and players.”

Lose to a Westmeath side they have already beaten in Leinster this season and Longford may not be so enamoured with the qualifiers but Dempsey approaches the game with confidence.

Reported injuries to goalkeeper Damien Sheridan and Shane Mulligan have been played down, Paul Barden should be fine despite an ongoing back complaint and Brian Kavanagh is expected to line out despite a freak accident on Tuesday when his knee landed on a stone in training.

For Dempsey, Saturday marks another chance to renew acquaintances with his former county and admits his anxiety over the previous meeting contributed to a first-half performance that saw Longford trail by eight points.

“This is much different. I felt very uptight the last day with the whole Westmeath side of it. When we won in the circumstances we did, I felt a weight lift off my shoulders for many different reasons. I felt I could now meet Westmeath in any other game and treat them like any other county.

“There was a sense of vindication. Win or lose, I’ve had my day out in Longford last time. This is one step on a long road. My aim is to get to the last four in the qualifiers and get a game against one of the provincial finalists.”