Burke in the spotlight as Kerry seek to fend off AFL recruitment

Geelong eyeing Milltown-Castlemaine starlet while other AFL clubs are also interested in a pair of Kerry's crop of Under 20s

IN DEMAND: Kerry’s Cillian Burke. Pic: Ryan Byrne, Inpho

Kerry starlet Cillian Burke is planning a sojourn to Australia in the autumn — but Kerry GAA chiefs are hopeful that he will return at some stage in 2025.

Geelong are one of two AFL franchises eyeing a trio of the Kingdom’s most promising footballers, primarily Milltown-Castlemaine’s Burke, who they have tabled a two-year contract too.

But any moves will be met with stout resistance from Kerry officials who are prepared to incentivise in a non-financial way Burke remaining at home. It’s not like Kerry officials aren’t used to under age starlets being tapped up, Rob Monahan from Ardfert having signed forms with Carlton last year.

In relation to Burke, the Irish Examiner was told no contracts had been signed and while Burke is likely to move down under, it may be a lifestyle decision more than an AFL move. Local sources say he will play for Milltown-Castlemaine in the upcoming IFC and could return from Oz before next summer.

Whether that would eliminate him from consideration from Kerry’s 2025 championship plans is yet to be determined as the Kingdom lick their wounds after Saturday’s All-Ireland semi final defeat to Armagh in extra time.

Burke isn’t the only possible departure from Kerry’s stock of nascent talent. At least two AFL clubs have been looking at Kerins O’Rahilly’s youngster Tomas Kennedy, and Dr Crokes’ Charlie Keating, both of whom were part of Tomás Ó Sé’s Kerry Under 20 side that were beaten in the All-Ireland final.

Kennedy is a big, rangy midfielder or wing forward with serious aerial potential, while Keating has already been drafted into the senior set-up with Kerry after an impressive campaign from wing back with the Under 20s — his athleticism and serious pace a feature.

Losing Burke to Australia would be a significant blow to O’Connor’s Kerry. He produced a stellar cameo in the quarter-final against Derry and again was one of the big performers as the Kingdom wilted down the stretch in Saturday’s All-Ireland semi-final defeat to Armagh.

Meanwhile, clubs in the county have been told that senior and intermediate football championships will be brought forward to the end of July in the wake of Kerry’s failure to make an All-Ireland final.