The Kerryman (South Kerry Edition)
DINGLE STAR MAN DEIVIDAS HEADS DOWN UNDER
KERRY GAA chairman Tim Murphy concedes there is little the Association can do to stop its players taking up professional contracts with the Australian Football League other than to make the environment at home in Kerry as attractive as possible, while operating within the amateur ethos of the GAA.
Mr Murphy was speaking to The Kerryman regarding the news that Dingle and Kerry under-20 goalkeeper Deividas Uosis is set to sign a contract with the Brisbane Lions to play in the AFL from the 2021/22 season.
Uosis, who is Lithuanian born but whose family have been living in Dingle for almost 15 years, was the goalkeeper on the All-Ireland winning Kerry minor team in 2017, and he is currently very much in John Sugrue’s plans for next week’s Munster Under-20 Championship.
Uosis will be available to play with the Kerry U-20s next week and beyond.
The player himself confirmed on Monday that he plans to take up an international rookie contract for two years, which will take him to Australia in October. In the meantime, it’s understood that he can continue to play Gaelic football with his club and county.
“Of course we’re disappointed, there’s no point saying we’re not,” Mr Murphy told The Kerryman. “I suppose it was something I know that he wanted to give a go to, to be honest. It was always a dream of his that he wanted to give professional sport a go. He’s certainly getting his opportunity now. It’s a two-year deal I think.
“It just re-emphasises the point again of what we’re facing in the GAA as an organisation in terms of professional versus amateur and I’ve been saying that for that for quite a while. There’s only so much an amateur organisation can actually do, especially for a younger player there, where he has that opportunity presented to him as a professional player is something that he always wanted and dreamed about.”
Regarding any question of Dingle GAA or Kerry GAA being compensated by the AFL or Brisbane Lions, Tim Murphy said there would be no question of either party receiving any sort of financial compensation, which the chairman could agree wikth in any event.
“Essentially if we were to go down that road, in my view we’re essentially an amateur organisation (but) then acting like we’re a professional organisation in terms of ownership of a player, which we don’t. I suppose from our point of view all we can do, and I keep saying this, is to make the environment as attractive as possible and no different to Mark [O’Connor] or to Stefan [Okunbor] when he left. Like the door is always open here for them as well at some point in time if and when they decide to come back.
“We can’t force a person to stay if they want to give professional sport a go and Deividas has made no secret of the fact that was always a dream of his to give professional sport a go and he’s got his opportunity so, while it’s disappointing, absolutely it’s awfully disappointing, that somebody of that calibre is leaving, all the same we wish the man all the best and just say that the door is always open for him.”
Meanwhile, Dingle PRO
Breandan MacGearailt said there were mixed emotions around the club when news of Uosis’s departure became known. “Obviously we’re very, very happy for Deividas because it’s been a dream of his to play professional sport, but as a club hugely disappointed to be losing a great player and a fine lad. It’s a good opportunity for him and of course we wish him the very best of luck over there. Since his arrival to the town when he was a young lad he’s shown himself to be a fine athlete, and he’s given his very best to the Dingle club over the years. He’s young, he has his whole life ahead of him, and he has always been keen to try to make a go at professional sport. It’s a mixed day for us in Dingle GAA but, again, we wish him the very best.”