Kingdom clubs rocked by emigration

KERRY’s senior football championships, which kick off tonight, has been hit by a massive player drain, with up to 100 footballers set to miss this year’s championship.

With emigration the chief reason, nearly every team competing will be missing players, including holders Dr Crokes, who will be without six players.

With Mike Moloney and Shane Doolan both in London, Ambrose O’Donovan in New York, Fionn Fitzgerald in New Zealand, and Shane O’Neill and Niall O’Connell spending the summer in America, Dr Crokes’ plight is one that is echoed across the county by various clubs and divisional teams.

Among the teams worst hit are South Kerry, St Michael’s/Foilmore, St Brendans, Austin Stacks and Feale Rangers, who will all lose up to six players each.

While admitting the loss of footballers is a worry, Kerry County Board chairman Jerome Conway also explains that it’s normal for many footballers to emigrate for the summer months.

“There are always footballers going away during the summer,” he said.

“That has always been the case, especially with third level students. It’s probably a bit worse now than before, due to the fact that there just aren’t any summer jobs around anymore.

“The tourist industry just isn’t what it was so it’s hard to find work at home. But while some leave for necessity, it’s important to point out that many, during the summer months, leave by choice, to American and so on.

“As for transfers, we haven’t as many full-time transfers as seems to be the case, unless those who have gone abroad have yet to look for a transfer.”