A top recruitment consultant has warned that gaelic players can't afford to ignore their professional careers in their 20s.

As reported in today's Examiner, Shane Kelly of CPL Recruitment says GAA players are not appealing to prospective bosses who are well aware of the time and effort that goes into sustaining an inter-county career.

"Players are now in an era where careers are being constructed around GAA commitments, to allow them time to fulfil the duties of a GAA 'career'," he writes on his company's website blog.

Kelly's observations comes at a time when Kerry footballer Darran O'Sullivan quit his bank job to take up an employment role which is more suitable to his football career.

"I have seen hundreds of CVs which detail stories of busy and hectic GAA careers depicting huge achievements on the field of play while at the same time highlighting major shortcomings throughout disjointed career paths.

"By the time these players break through to U21 level this 'back-seat' syndrome afforded to most aspects of their lives outside of sport is firmly cemented when dealing with figures of management at both club and county level. This is then where careers begin to get affected."

"The players must now become masters of their own destiny in this light.

"They must now accept that the responsibility lies with them, to start putting careers first. In a nutshell, GAA playing careers start in your early 20s and finish in your early 30s - professional careers last 40-50 years, and are getting longer.

"Players must recognise that going from job to job, or scholarship to scholarship, eventually comes back to bite you. Careers need to be developed throughout your 20s, not left on hold until you finish playing."

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