Burnout warning for young players

Former Cork footballer Diarmuid Duggan, the player out of pocket by almost €7,000 due to medical costs, warned young GAA stars about the potential burnout problems they face by playing for too many teams whileeligible for the minor and U21 ranks.

Damian Griffin, the world-renowned hip surgeon based in Coventry in England, who operated on Duggan in February 2010, diagnosed the Ilen Rovers players injury as being a result of years oftraining at inter-county senior football level.

Duggan enjoyed an extensive underage football career with Cork, playing minor in 1997 and 1998, U21 in 2000 and 2001 and won an All-Ireland junior medal with Cork in 2001 while also featuring for Mary Immaculate College in the Sigerson Cup.