Richie Power has opened up about his decade-long battle with a gambling addiction.

In an interview with BBC Radio Ulster’s The GAA Social Podcast, the eight-time Kilkenny All-Ireland SHC winner explained how gambling had "grabbed a hold" of him before it led to him seeking help from the GPA in 2013.

“I’ve struggled with a gambling addiction,” the Carrickshock clubman revealed.

“It started at a relatively young age, around probably 17, maybe 18 and it would have been very small at the beginning. Then it just took a hold of me, really, grabbed a hold of me as it does as it has affected so many other people as well.

“It affected me throughout my sporting career. Being an inter-county player, you have so much free time at weekends. You’re not out socialising, you’re trying to maybe fill that void. Gambling was an escapism for me, away from hurling, away from other problems that were going on in my life."

Power added: “Injuries, for example. Any time I would have broken down injured, I’d spiral that way in my own head thinking nobody would say anything, they were going to feel sorry for me and I feel sorry for myself.

“It just had a huge impact on me personally both mentally and physically. I was hurling with Kilkenny and all this was going on in the background. You’re trying to manifest a life that is perfect and great whereas at the back of it you’re in complete turmoil and fighting with it."

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