Players will retire earlier, says Gooch

Colm Cooper believes inter-county footballers and hurlers will retire earlier as the demands placed upon them increase.

Cooper, who is set to return to county action next year after an lengthy injury lay-off, predicts that fewer and fewer stars will play for their counties beyond 30.

However, the Dr Crokes man (31) hopes to buck that trend and have “another two or three years” of top flight action.