Mark O’Connor: Player drain will go on

Kerry minor star Mark O’Connor, now with AFL side Geelong, says more Kerry players are going to an Australian Rules camp in Florida.

In yesterday’s Irish Examiner, Kerry senior boss Eamon Fitzmaurice appealed for Kingdom youngsters to stay at home.

However, O’Connor said: “I know the Australians are keeping an eye on a couple more Kerry players. There are two going to a trial game in Florida, David Shaw and Stefan Okunbar, who were minors last year.

“There’s a two-week camp there, which will be interesting.

“I’m not sure what Kerry could do to stop them, I’m very happy in Australia — but I was very happy here as well.

“The full-time aspect of playing is what attracts me, putting all your energy into the one thing.”

Speaking to An Saol O Dheas on Raidio na Gaeltachta, O’Connor said: “It’s different to what I thought it would be going out there, but it’s very enjoyable. The training is hard but enjoyable.

“You’re training, in the gym, meetings and so on — there’s a chef on site so you have lunch together.

“I suppose we’re five or six hours together in the club every day apart from Thursday and Sunday, they’re the days off.

“I’ve ‘extras’ to do in terms of the skills, to go in before everybody else comes in for training, or to stay afterwards to work on my kicking.

“There’s more of an emphasis on kicking than fielding — I’ve been told to focus on the kicking, and it’s very different. I’m getting more comfortable with it but I’ve a long way to go.”

O’Connor said tackling in the Australian game takes a lot of getting used to.

“Everything is different — there are systems for everything, the tackling is different — the first day at training I was put on my head and I didn’t know what was happening. It was a shock to the system.

“The tackling is probably the most difficult thing to get to grips with. You’ve only a second to let the ball off, there won’t be any soloing.”

The youngster added that a nagging knee injury is responding well to intensive treatment down under.

“I’m happy with the knee, I’m training away which I wasn’t able to do at home. There are three full-time physios at the club, and I’m able to run with freedom.

“The physios here were very good too, but they just didn’t have the same amount of time.”

Meanwhile, there is strong speculation that Bord Gáis Eireann is to come on board as a main sponsor of the All-Ireland hurling championships later this year.

The energy provider is involved in several well-known sponsorship deals including the Bord Gáis Energy Theatre and the Irish Book Awards, but its best-known involvement in the sports world is its long-standing sponsorship of the U21 hurling championships.