Mayo’s Cillian O’Connor says quitting job to focus on GAA sends out wrong message

Intercounty players leaving jobs and choosing careers to suit their GAA ambitions is sending out the wrong message to young players, according to Mayo All Star Cillian O'Connor.

The 22-year-old, who attended the launch of Allianz Leagues in Belfast, expressed concern about Darran O'Sullivan's admission he has left his job with Ulster Bank to focus on playing for Kerry.

O’Connor is worried about what the future holds for intercounty players if they are unable to balance their professional and GAA careers. “I would wonder how sustainable it is, when you hear of players selecting careers to suit their football or quitting jobs,” he said.

“I don’t think it is a good message to be sending to young people or potential footballers, to disregard your career to play for your county.”

O'Connor (22) is doing a masters in sports exercise and psychology at University of Ulster and already he has huge demands on his time – on Sunday he plays for Mayo against Kerry in Killarney in an Allianz League opener, before lining out for Jordanstown in the Sigerson Cup on Wednesday, followed by a league game against Tyrone at the weekend.

He accepts there will be even greater demands on his time once he enters the workplace. “Most players I know are conscious of the need to get off work early on Fridays to travel across the country for training, or taking a day off to have an operation.

“People are factoring these things in when they’re selecting their career paths and it’s a dangerous precedent to set for young footballers.

“If they see older fellas quitting the bank or quitting their jobs, they’re going to think ‘I need to do that, I need to forget about academia, that’s what you need to do to play football’.

“It’ll be fine for a few years but I don’t know how sustainable it is.”