Footballers’ flight decimates GAA clubs as players head abroad in search of work

A host of Galway’s leading GAA clubs are facing into a mini-crisis over the peak summer months without a host of players who have taken flight to the US, Canada, and Australia.

The harsh economic climate at home and the lure of jobs and adventure overseas have decimated the senior panels of some football clubs as they face into the second round of the championship without the services of up to a half-dozen players this weekend.

Members of the victorious All-Ireland U21 winning Galway side, who beat Cork in last month’s final, are particularly ‘hot property’ on the other side of the Atlantic as clubs with strong Galway connections have recruited players from the team en masse for the summer.

Team managers can hardly argue the case with third level students in their squads, in particular, who are being offered jobs and free flights in order to ‘tog out’ with clubs in New York and Boston while taking advantage of 60 day J1 visas.

But given that a host of Galway club footballers and hurlers in their twenties are also taking advantage of one year visas for Australia and Canada, club managers have been left with selection headaches as they face into crucial games this weekend.

Some clubs have been particularly badly hit. At the start of the campaign, Caherlistrane manager Larry Bane reported that seven of the club’s seniors, all aged under 30, were unavailable for the entire 2013 senior championship campaign because of emigration.

Others have seen a temporary summer exodus since losing their first round games three weeks ago. Annaghdown, for example, have seen three of their U21s depart for the US since losing to Kilkerrin-Clonberne in extra time at the end of May, while a fourth member of the senior panel is enjoying an extended holiday overseas.

The problem is not just confined to the rural clubs as county champions Salthill-Knocknacarra, who are set to put their title on the line against Micheal Breathnach, will have two of their best players in the US when they line out at Pearse Stadium on Saturday evening.

Salthill’s neighbours on the west side of the city, St Michael’s, registered one of the shock results of the first round when they beat former champions Killererin last month. Their achievement was all the more remarkable because four of their players are currently in Australia, while two have emigrated to the UK.

Read full story in this week’s Connacht Tribune