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Guys here's a bit of a question i have.
Meath are losing Conor Nash to AFL this year and it has me thinking have we ever had anyone who went out and came back and was a highly successful footballer in both codes? I know Tadhg K is the obvious example but he came back for one year. As did Marty Clarke with Down but again only had one year.
Seems to be a lot of lads who go out have a moderate level of success or none at all and then come back and aren't really up to the top level of intercounty too.
Is there anyone that has succeeded out there and then succeeded on returning to play GAA and i'm forgetting them?? The two names i can think of are Bryan Stynes and Niall Buckley but i think they didn't really make the breakthrough at AFL..
brian (Meath) - Posts: 1954 - 03/11/2016 14:21:15
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Not really but huge loss for Meath football. This guy would have been class,you are trying to compete with the best and you lose the best..
ziggy32001 (Meath) - Posts: 8354 - 03/11/2016 15:02:07
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Replying To ziggy32001: "Not really but huge loss for Meath football. This guy would have been class,you are trying to compete with the best and you lose the best.." the talk around PT last sunday was meath coco should have set him up financially with a bit of work
juniorjudge (Waterford) - Posts: 383 - 03/11/2016 15:51:27
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Ciaran Kilkenny was out there as a rookie and is the most prominent example I can think of, although he only stayed there a few months and didn't play a senior game afaik.
GeniusGerry (Kerry) - Posts: 2105 - 03/11/2016 20:07:57
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didnt setanta o'halpin go over and come back to line out for the rebels?
juniorjudge (Waterford) - Posts: 383 - 03/11/2016 20:31:05
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Colm Begley from Laois was rookie of the year for Brisbane lions but left a couple of years later. I know he was at DCU for a while but i;m not sure if he won a Sigerson. Currently playing for Parnells and back with Laois I believe... not sure if any of this actually qualifies of being 'successful' or not though. Interesting topic though, these lads are highly rated leaving but never reach great heights went they come home
WestsideWarrior (Galway) - Posts: 24 - 03/11/2016 20:57:38
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Replying To WestsideWarrior: "Colm Begley from Laois was rookie of the year for Brisbane lions but left a couple of years later. I know he was at DCU for a while but i;m not sure if he won a Sigerson. Currently playing for Parnells and back with Laois I believe... not sure if any of this actually qualifies of being 'successful' or not though. Interesting topic though, these lads are highly rated leaving but never reach great heights went they come home" Begley is current playing for Laois county champs stradbally
Cuckoosinging (Roscommon) - Posts: 992 - 03/11/2016 22:26:32
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Best example I can think off of a lad half making it over there and coming back decent apart for Marty clarke in 2010 is Micky Quinn from Longford played a good few games early on for essendon.
Other lads who have gone over and played no games and came back decent like john Heslin Paul cribbin Brendan quigley and Kilkenny but they only stayed a couple of months over there.
Then you have lads who went over and not made it and came back and not reached the heights you would have hoped on return like Meridith(Laois) mcKeever(Antrim) Mooney(Down) Dyas(Armagh). I may have missed a few
Cuckoosinging (Roscommon) - Posts: 992 - 03/11/2016 22:41:38
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Replying To juniorjudge: "didnt setanta o'halpin go over and come back to line out for the rebels?" No. alas.
He came back and won a county final alright with his brothers.
Had a reasonable career over there I suppose.
Aisake went over there also. Was not successful and then came back to tog out with Cork hurlers.
bennybunny (Cork) - Posts: 3917 - 04/11/2016 15:12:09
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John Heslin said he didnt like the change from playing about 3 games a week for club/college/county to what he experienced in Australia of months of pre season training and no matches.
Another very good footballer Ray Connellan has just gone to St Kilda on a pro contract having recovered from a broken leg in the Leinster Final.
Jack_Sparrow (Westmeath) - Posts: 1014 - 04/11/2016 19:08:40
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Replying To Jack_Sparrow: "John Heslin said he didnt like the change from playing about 3 games a week for club/college/county to what he experienced in Australia of months of pre season training and no matches.
Another very good footballer Ray Connellan has just gone to St Kilda on a pro contract having recovered from a broken leg in the Leinster Final." As a GAA man I wish all players the best of luck just not in the AFL. I know that may sound harsh but we all look forward to the next great prospect coming through the ranks. In Cork we were excited about Brian Corcoran from his early teens. Tommy Walsh's debut season in Kerry created such excitement, Colin O'Riordan from Tipp looked like a real game changer.
There are only a limited few really special players that come through the ranks. It would be a disaster for the GAA if they are brought through the ranks only to be snapped by the AFL.
If there are 3 of 4 success storied this year, the number of recruits will go up next year. Much as having the top prospects head for Oz is is a killer for the GAA from a promotional point of view it's the club that really gets hit hardest and the many volunteers who trained them along the way.
I know it's controversial but I wouldn't be against county boards getting private sponsorship to keep these guys here. If Conor Nash got set up as a schools coach in Meath on 25k per year and private sponsorship topped it up with another 15/25k, maybe a sponored car would he have stayed? If he became a top midfielder and led the Meath charge the challenge Dublin and make a Leinster championship currently on deaths door some what competitive in a few years that would be a very smart investment from a GAA point of view. Remember Kildare have 2 of their brightest prospects trying their hand at the AFL too in Paddy Brophy and Sean Hurley which isn't doing their prospects of challenging any good.
Kerry have lost Mark O'Connor and probably will lose David Clifford and a few more. Even as a Corkman I would love to see the Kerry county board be proactive to head this off. I've been really looking forward to seeing David Clifford in action at senior level.
dahayeser (Cork) - Posts: 336 - 07/11/2016 09:52:28
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Replying To dahayeser: "As a GAA man I wish all players the best of luck just not in the AFL. I know that may sound harsh but we all look forward to the next great prospect coming through the ranks. In Cork we were excited about Brian Corcoran from his early teens. Tommy Walsh's debut season in Kerry created such excitement, Colin O'Riordan from Tipp looked like a real game changer.
There are only a limited few really special players that come through the ranks. It would be a disaster for the GAA if they are brought through the ranks only to be snapped by the AFL.
If there are 3 of 4 success storied this year, the number of recruits will go up next year. Much as having the top prospects head for Oz is is a killer for the GAA from a promotional point of view it's the club that really gets hit hardest and the many volunteers who trained them along the way.
I know it's controversial but I wouldn't be against county boards getting private sponsorship to keep these guys here. If Conor Nash got set up as a schools coach in Meath on 25k per year and private sponsorship topped it up with another 15/25k, maybe a sponored car would he have stayed? If he became a top midfielder and led the Meath charge the challenge Dublin and make a Leinster championship currently on deaths door some what competitive in a few years that would be a very smart investment from a GAA point of view. Remember Kildare have 2 of their brightest prospects trying their hand at the AFL too in Paddy Brophy and Sean Hurley which isn't doing their prospects of challenging any good.
Kerry have lost Mark O'Connor and probably will lose David Clifford and a few more. Even as a Corkman I would love to see the Kerry county board be proactive to head this off. I've been really looking forward to seeing David Clifford in action at senior level." He got enough points in the Leaving Cert to study medicine apparently so perhaps they could have sorted him out with some funding for that and taken care of his accommodation and expenses etc. Its not like he's getting a fortune in Australia anyway.
However, I think it would have been more likely that he would have followed the rugby path with Leinster as apparently he's a rugby star in the making as well. Most natural athlete I've seen in Pairc Tailteann since Graham Geraghty.
Crinigan (Meath) - Posts: 1316 - 07/11/2016 11:00:08
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Replying To Crinigan: "He got enough points in the Leaving Cert to study medicine apparently so perhaps they could have sorted him out with some funding for that and taken care of his accommodation and expenses etc. Its not like he's getting a fortune in Australia anyway.
However, I think it would have been more likely that he would have followed the rugby path with Leinster as apparently he's a rugby star in the making as well. Most natural athlete I've seen in Pairc Tailteann since Graham Geraghty." That's true Crinigan, I forgot he was on the rugby radar. That's a battle you are not going to win.
As a general rule I'd like to see the GAA and county boards look at options to keep these guys. The mention of Graham Geraghty would put you thinking. If he was coming through now the AFL would be all over him. From a GAA point of view what a loss it would be if we never saw Geraghty play our game.
dahayeser (Cork) - Posts: 336 - 07/11/2016 11:34:02
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Replying To dahayeser: "That's true Crinigan, I forgot he was on the rugby radar. That's a battle you are not going to win.
As a general rule I'd like to see the GAA and county boards look at options to keep these guys. The mention of Graham Geraghty would put you thinking. If he was coming through now the AFL would be all over him. From a GAA point of view what a loss it would be if we never saw Geraghty play our game." Yeah it looks like the top athletes are going to be taken at 17/18/19. Some come back better than ever, others not, like Tommy Walsh for example who was simply awesome before leaving. All we can do is wish them well and hope perhaps that they come back at some stage and are still interested in playing a bit of ball.
Personally, I've never seen the attraction with the sport of aussie rules for a young lad other than its a professional sport in a nice climate. I don't think the likes of Nash and others were dreaming of playing Aussie Rules as young lads, maybe I'm wrong. The reality of being so far from home playing a sport that they don't truly love might hit home then.
Crinigan (Meath) - Posts: 1316 - 07/11/2016 15:34:57
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Replying To dahayeser: "As a GAA man I wish all players the best of luck just not in the AFL. I know that may sound harsh but we all look forward to the next great prospect coming through the ranks. In Cork we were excited about Brian Corcoran from his early teens. Tommy Walsh's debut season in Kerry created such excitement, Colin O'Riordan from Tipp looked like a real game changer.
There are only a limited few really special players that come through the ranks. It would be a disaster for the GAA if they are brought through the ranks only to be snapped by the AFL.
If there are 3 of 4 success storied this year, the number of recruits will go up next year. Much as having the top prospects head for Oz is is a killer for the GAA from a promotional point of view it's the club that really gets hit hardest and the many volunteers who trained them along the way.
I know it's controversial but I wouldn't be against county boards getting private sponsorship to keep these guys here. If Conor Nash got set up as a schools coach in Meath on 25k per year and private sponsorship topped it up with another 15/25k, maybe a sponored car would he have stayed? If he became a top midfielder and led the Meath charge the challenge Dublin and make a Leinster championship currently on deaths door some what competitive in a few years that would be a very smart investment from a GAA point of view. Remember Kildare have 2 of their brightest prospects trying their hand at the AFL too in Paddy Brophy and Sean Hurley which isn't doing their prospects of challenging any good.
Kerry have lost Mark O'Connor and probably will lose David Clifford and a few more. Even as a Corkman I would love to see the Kerry county board be proactive to head this off. I've been really looking forward to seeing David Clifford in action at senior level." Fair argument to be honest..
Conor Nash's argument was that how could he turn down a chance to train everyday and that be his job.GAA obviously does not offer that.
ziggy32001 (Meath) - Posts: 8354 - 12/11/2016 19:43:57
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Also recently we see far more athletic players coming through in GAA,and to make it in Aussie Rules,you will have to be athletic,so the numbers leaving could well be bigger.If that continues the GAA must react in some way.
ziggy32001 (Meath) - Posts: 8354 - 12/11/2016 19:47:16
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Hurley is back from oz.
FoolsGold (Cavan) - Posts: 2763 - 12/11/2016 20:17:57
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Read an interview from the Kerry chairman about looseing the possibility of 9-10 of their successfull minor teams, I'm surprised about the extent of that, I winder how true it is to the fact? Surely would be a huge blow to Kerry, as the hope is the bridge between the current generation and the minor wining teams, Maybe Fitzmaurice needs to bring some of these lads through to stop their heads being turned?
Pat O Sullivan:
"We're looking at losing seven to nine to 10 minors from Kerry football over the next two or three years. That is something the GAA will have to look at and it's not good enough for us to develop players and then for somebody to come in and take them away from us. We put our heart and soul into putting Kerry back on the map and it's a very sad affair when anybody can come in and cherry-pick the best from any county. The GAA has to stem this because the counties are putting too much time, money and expertise on these players. Now anyone can come in and pick the best of them. It's not good enough."
That Kennelly is a figurehead of the campaign to attract players to Australia is a thorny issue for Kerry
"When you win three minors All-Irelands in a row, it's easy to be drawn even though Tadhg is from our county and his family has a tradition with us.
TheUsername (Dublin) - Posts: 4445 - 13/11/2016 19:24:40
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Replying To TheUsername: "Read an interview from the Kerry chairman about looseing the possibility of 9-10 of their successfull minor teams, I'm surprised about the extent of that, I winder how true it is to the fact? Surely would be a huge blow to Kerry, as the hope is the bridge between the current generation and the minor wining teams, Maybe Fitzmaurice needs to bring some of these lads through to stop their heads being turned?
Pat O Sullivan:
"We're looking at losing seven to nine to 10 minors from Kerry football over the next two or three years. That is something the GAA will have to look at and it's not good enough for us to develop players and then for somebody to come in and take them away from us. We put our heart and soul into putting Kerry back on the map and it's a very sad affair when anybody can come in and cherry-pick the best from any county. The GAA has to stem this because the counties are putting too much time, money and expertise on these players. Now anyone can come in and pick the best of them. It's not good enough."
That Kennelly is a figurehead of the campaign to attract players to Australia is a thorny issue for Kerry
"When you win three minors All-Irelands in a row, it's easy to be drawn even though Tadhg is from our county and his family has a tradition with us." Good luck to them. Only a few players have done well there.
Tadhg Kennelly and Jim Stynes the most prominent
Ciaran Sheehan (as yet) and Tommy Walsh didn't do so well
Still...is a good opportunity and life is too short to pass it up.
Well done..Tadhg....good job
Rockies (Cork) - Posts: 947 - 13/11/2016 20:08:54
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