John Fogarty: College players caught in the January crossfire

If the recent stories of players from middle-tier football counties quitting the inter-county scene have told us that losing is no fun, tales from the clubs and colleges inform us winning isn’t always a picnic either.

As they look set to duel this Sunday, Brendan Maher and TJ Reid have spoken of what they and their Borris-Ileigh and Ballyhale Shamrocks colleagues gave up to get where they are. Not that they would give it up for anything in the world but Christmas was different and not in a good way.