Rise of Saoirse Noonan and Chiedozie Ogbene show young sportspeople should be allowed choice

Both Cork stars played multiple sports as youngsters, but the FAI development plan says that's not the way forward

Saoirse Noonan

As she prepares to make her Ireland senior debut tonight against Iceland, Saoirse Noonan provided a compelling counterpoint to the FAI’s move towards abolishing dual sporting talent.

Ruud Dokter, the association’s High Performance Director since 2013, last October decreed that football should be the sole code for elite 12-year-olds forging out a career.