The economic crisis has claimed one of Kerry's most promising talents.

The Kingdom's footballing landscape has been decimated by emigration recently and brilliant young Dr Crokes defender Mike Moloney - a star intercounty performer at minor and U21 levels - is the highest-profile casualty thus far.

Moloney appeared to be on the verge of a breakthrough into Jack O'Connor's senior panel, but is instead emigrating to London, as is his Crokes clubmate Shane Doolan.

Both players starred in the defence as the Killarney club came up marginally short against Nemo Rangers in the Munster senior club final at Mallow on January 30th.

Now they are lost to Crokes and to Kerry, with club manager Harry O'Neill conceding: "They've been offered work over there and I think that it's just a sign of the times that we're in.

"We're still hoping that they might commute over and back and play football with us. We'll have to wait and see but, obviously, if they get offered work over there by football clubs, there's nothing we can do." Tweet

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