Worrying trend will continue if changes aren’t made
FORMER Meath goalkeeper and DKIT student Paddy O’Rourke was in the news last week for his comments on the demands made on modern day inter county players.
The Skryne clubman walked away from the Meath panelanel back in October opting not to make a commitment for 2018.
While there were some raised eye brows at the 28-yearold’s departure, his decision was not unique at this level.
In a revealing interview last week O’Rourke highlighted how thehe weight has been lifted fromrom his shoulders and how life away from the inter county game is already so much better.
He spoke about the consequences of the incredible commitment levels required and the isolation from your family, friends and club.
While the decision nagged at him for a while, he finally came to the conclusion that he could no longer justify putting his life on hold to train five or six nights per week for nine months of the year without a realistic chance of winning anything.
And he hasn’t regretted his choice for a moment saying how fantastic it has been reintegrating back into the club scene and getting back to being friends with the lads he grew up with.
His final comments say it all really: ‘I’m finished with that now and life is already much better’.
Three Louth players, Patrick Reilly, Conal McKeever and Declan Byrne, made similar decisions last week and opted out of the county panel, although Byrne had a change of heart later in the week following discussions with team manager Pete McGrath.
There is nothing unique about players taking a break or quitting inter county squads. I opted out for a season myself back in 1994 when I wasn’t seeing eye-to-eye with the then manager.
The problem nowadays however is that just as many are opting out as are choosing to remain.
This time last year Louth maintai maintained their 100% start to Division 3 by defeating Offaly in a wet and windy Tullamore.
Two goals from a lively Ryan Burns sealed a 2-13 to 0-14 victory which pushed us two points clear at the top of the table.
The starting team was: Craig Lynch, Padraig Rath, Patrick Reilly, Kevin Carr, Derek Maguire, Liam Dullaghan, Anthony Williams, Tommy Durnin, Declan Byrne, James Stewart, Paraic Smyth, Bevan Duffy, Ruairi Moore, Eoin O Connor, Ryan Burns. The subs used were Adrian Reid, John Bingham, Conal McKeever, Derek Crilly, James Califf and Darren McMahon.
Twelve months later Louth suffered their third Division 2 defeat in a row going under by 2-11 to 0-10 away to Cork. Of the 21 players used in Tullamore in 2017, just nine saw action in Pairc Ui Rinn last Sunday week.
I do appreciate there is a new management team in place from last season but that is a huge turnaround in personnel in any man’s language. Players will continue to make these lifestyle choices unless there is a change to the current system.
The Division 2 campaign continues next weekend with the visit of Roscommon to the Gaelic Grounds. The game is a must-win if we’re to have any hopes of survival in the grade.
The Rossies arrive in Drogheda with three points from their opening three games. They drew with Meath in the opening round, followed this with a big win against Tipperary but then suffered a surprise home defeat to Down in their last outing.