KERRY U20 FOOTBALL boss Tomas Ó Sé has claimed that one of his players is being actively ‘tapped up’ by an AFL club who regularly contact the Leaving Cert student after watching him on Clubber.
Kingdom icon Ó Sé has been a consistent critic of AFL clubs snapping up young GAA players and said he personally ‘hates’ how they go about their business here.
Kerry has been hit particularly hard by AFL departures with Cillian Burke and Rob Monahan, both of whom played for Ó Sé’s U20s in 2023, snapped up by Geelong and Carlton respectively.
Mark O’Connor is already established Down Under with Geelong while Kerry chairman Patrick O’Sullivan stated over winter that seven other rising stars are being monitored by oval ball clubs.
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Speaking at the launch of Dalata Hotel Group’s five-year sponsorship of the U20 football championship, Ó Sé said the entire AFL recruitment situation remains a source of frustration.
Tomás Ó Sé pictured as Dalata Hotel Group announced a five-year sponsorship for the GAA U20 football championship. Dan Sheridan / INPHO
Dan Sheridan / INPHO / INPHO
“I think it’s wrong what’s going on,” said Ó Sé. “I think there’s players being tapped up, I know for a fact that there’s an U-20 player in Kerry being rang by coaches from an Australian club telling him how he did in matches after watching him on Clubber.
“If it was a professional (sport), I don’t know what the rules are, but if it was soccer or rugby I don’t think they’d be allowed to do that, when the fella is doing the Leaving Cert. Don’t get me wrong, fellas think I’m completely against a fella going out. If the offer is there, I’d wish him all the best and I’d always wish him all the best and I hope there’s success out there and it’s brilliant.
“But as a Kerry man, I hate the way it’s done, I just hate the way there’s 15 years going into a young fella and it’s just, ‘Oh yeah, we’ll have that fella there and we’ll shoot off’.”
Cillian Burke in action for Kerry in last year's All-Ireland semi-final. Leah Scholes / INPHO
Leah Scholes / INPHO / INPHO
Ó Sé also vented his frustration that individual players are choosing the AFL over an inter-county career with Kerry.
“And it kind of annoys me more than anything else that the want isn’t there to play for Kerry more, if that makes sense,” he continued. “It makes sense to me anyway, I’d rather nothing but to play for Kerry and win All-Irelands for Kerry. And there’s opportunity there, there’s a good (Kerry) team there and there’s opportunities to win an All-Ireland.
“Look, I wish the lads well and all but it’s a huge loss to Kerry football, no matter what way you look at it. Cillian Burke has gone, Rob Monahan has gone, Mark O’Connor has gone, and don’t get me wrong, it’s happening up the north as well and it’s happening elsewhere, in other counties.”
Mark O'Connor in action in the AFL for Geelong last year. Alamy Stock Photo
Alamy Stock Photo
Ó Sé, whose Kerry U-20 side was beaten by Tyrone in last year’s All-Ireland final, has spoken in the past about possible compensation for GAA clubs or counties who lose a player.
“I’ve kind of my peace made with it at this stage,” he said. “We’re an amateur organisation, there’s no way you can bring money into it, there’s no way you can bring compensation in, there’s no way you can bring structure (around that) because we’re an amateur organisation. We’re there as prime picking so why wouldn’t the Aussie Rules do it?”
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AFL great Zach Tuohy was critical of Ó Sé in his recently released memoir, querying why Ó Sé hadn’t hit out at Shane Lowry for choosing golf over a GAA career.
“Shane’s (golf) club at home, Esker Hills, minded him for years and years and years,” said Ó Sé, arguing that the AFL in comparison put nothing into the development of young players here. “I don’t agree with that (Tuohy) statement because golf, rugby…it’s just that Aussie Rules aren’t part of our community. It’s just frustration. I don’t think that frustration will ever leave me and I’m more frustrated that our lads don’t want to stay at home.”
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'I hate the way it's done' - Ó Sé unhappy as AFL clubs eye Kerry talent
KERRY U20 FOOTBALL boss Tomas Ó Sé has claimed that one of his players is being actively ‘tapped up’ by an AFL club who regularly contact the Leaving Cert student after watching him on Clubber.
Kingdom icon Ó Sé has been a consistent critic of AFL clubs snapping up young GAA players and said he personally ‘hates’ how they go about their business here.
Kerry has been hit particularly hard by AFL departures with Cillian Burke and Rob Monahan, both of whom played for Ó Sé’s U20s in 2023, snapped up by Geelong and Carlton respectively.
Mark O’Connor is already established Down Under with Geelong while Kerry chairman Patrick O’Sullivan stated over winter that seven other rising stars are being monitored by oval ball clubs.
Speaking at the launch of Dalata Hotel Group’s five-year sponsorship of the U20 football championship, Ó Sé said the entire AFL recruitment situation remains a source of frustration.
“I think it’s wrong what’s going on,” said Ó Sé. “I think there’s players being tapped up, I know for a fact that there’s an U-20 player in Kerry being rang by coaches from an Australian club telling him how he did in matches after watching him on Clubber.
“If it was a professional (sport), I don’t know what the rules are, but if it was soccer or rugby I don’t think they’d be allowed to do that, when the fella is doing the Leaving Cert. Don’t get me wrong, fellas think I’m completely against a fella going out. If the offer is there, I’d wish him all the best and I’d always wish him all the best and I hope there’s success out there and it’s brilliant.
“But as a Kerry man, I hate the way it’s done, I just hate the way there’s 15 years going into a young fella and it’s just, ‘Oh yeah, we’ll have that fella there and we’ll shoot off’.”
Ó Sé also vented his frustration that individual players are choosing the AFL over an inter-county career with Kerry.
“And it kind of annoys me more than anything else that the want isn’t there to play for Kerry more, if that makes sense,” he continued. “It makes sense to me anyway, I’d rather nothing but to play for Kerry and win All-Irelands for Kerry. And there’s opportunity there, there’s a good (Kerry) team there and there’s opportunities to win an All-Ireland.
“Look, I wish the lads well and all but it’s a huge loss to Kerry football, no matter what way you look at it. Cillian Burke has gone, Rob Monahan has gone, Mark O’Connor has gone, and don’t get me wrong, it’s happening up the north as well and it’s happening elsewhere, in other counties.”
Ó Sé, whose Kerry U-20 side was beaten by Tyrone in last year’s All-Ireland final, has spoken in the past about possible compensation for GAA clubs or counties who lose a player.
“I’ve kind of my peace made with it at this stage,” he said. “We’re an amateur organisation, there’s no way you can bring money into it, there’s no way you can bring compensation in, there’s no way you can bring structure (around that) because we’re an amateur organisation. We’re there as prime picking so why wouldn’t the Aussie Rules do it?”
AFL great Zach Tuohy was critical of Ó Sé in his recently released memoir, querying why Ó Sé hadn’t hit out at Shane Lowry for choosing golf over a GAA career.
“Shane’s (golf) club at home, Esker Hills, minded him for years and years and years,” said Ó Sé, arguing that the AFL in comparison put nothing into the development of young players here. “I don’t agree with that (Tuohy) statement because golf, rugby…it’s just that Aussie Rules aren’t part of our community. It’s just frustration. I don’t think that frustration will ever leave me and I’m more frustrated that our lads don’t want to stay at home.”
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GAA Kerry Land down under Tomás Ó Sé U20