Post by Admin on Dec 16, 2014 10:41:31 GMT
Colm Keys Irish Independent - 16th December 2014
Kilkenny's All-Ireland winning minor hurling captain Darragh Joyce is back on the radar of a host of AFL clubs after impressing in last weekend's Europe Combine in DCU.
Joyce, who skippered the Cats to minor glory over Limerick last September and is a brother of All-Ireland final replay man of the match Kieran, has been linked with a move to the AFL in the past.
The AFL's international talent co-ordinator Tadhg Kennelly and AFL's Europe's managing director Ben McCormack oversaw two days of testing in DCU, and the game awareness and skills of the young Kilkenny man are understood to have stood out.
Joyce attends Good Counsel in New Ross, which has an established football pedigree, but big-ball involvement at club level - he hurls for Rower-Inistioge - would be limited.
A switch to AFL would mirror the leap that Setanta O hAilpin made after playing for Cork in the 2003 All-Ireland hurling final.
McCormack intimated that the standard was the highest yet in the four European combines that the AFL have staged in Dublin since February 2011.
"It's a credit the clubs and counties that they come in such good conditions," said McCormack. "The standards seem to improve every year. The skills levels and awareness of the game are particularly good."
The AFL Europe Combine brings together potential recruits to provide a database for AFL clubs interesting in sourcing international rookies.
Since the Kennelly-led Combines were established in Ireland, Dublin's Ciaran Kilkenny, Kildare trio Sean Hurley, Paddy Brophy and Daniel Flynn and Kerry's Padraic Lucey, better known as a basketballer, have all signed contracts with AFL clubs through this system.
This year's Mayo minor captain Cian Hanley went to Brisbane, where his brother Pearse has established himself over the last seven years, but that move was independent of the Combine.
Kerry's Michael Burns, one of four from the All-Ireland minor champions, was another to impress.
Killian Spillane, son of former Kerry great Tom, and a key architect of the county's first minor triumph in 20 years, was also tested while the all-Dingle midfield pairing, Mark O'Connor and Barry O'Sullivan, were present.
Two of the Donegal team that Kerry defeated in that final, Stephen McBrearty and John Campbell, were also part of the trials which included a Dane and a Briton.
Inclusion
An interesting inclusion was Ciaron O'Hanlon, who featured for the Armagh seniors against Cavan in last year's Ulster championship defeat while still a minor.
Now 20, O'Hanlon was joined by Jarlath Og Burns, son of former Armagh captain Jarlath.
Louth's Ryan Burns, another who played senior championship football while still a minor earlier this year, also participated.
In all 17 counties have had players on the books of AFL clubs since the 'Irish experiment' first started in the early 1980s but only 45 Irish recruits have been signed up in that time.
McCormack says the statistics disprove the "sensationalism" that there is a "drain" of Irish talent to Australia, insisting: "Through our system there will be one, maybe two, at the national draft next year. The numbers are small."
Cork lead the way with six including O hAilpin who had a 10-year career in the AFL after joining Carlton Blues.
Dublin have had five on the books of AFL clubs in the 31 years since Roscommon's Paul Earley first planted the flag in Melbourne but three made little or no impact, with Ciaran Kilkenny quitting Hawthorn after just six weeks in 2012 and James Fahy and Kevin Devine failing to make it with Melbourne. Fahy travelled out with Jim Stynes in 1984.
Kildare have been particularly hit by an exodus to AFL clubs in recent years with three players - Hurley, Daniel Flynn and Brophy - signed up.
There are 10 Irish players on the books of AFL clubs: Tyrone's Conor McKenna, Pearse and Cian Hanley, Zac Tuohy (Laois), Ciaran Byrne (Louth), Ciaran Sheehan (Cork), Lucey, Flynn, Hurley and Brophy.
Players who attended the weekend trials: Michael Burns, Killian Spillane, Mark O'Connor, Barry O'Sullivan (all Kerry), Shehroz Akram (Mayo), John Campbell, Stephen McBrearty (both Donegal), Jarlath Og Burns, Ciaron O'Hanlon Both Armagh), Eoghan McHugh, Con O Ceallachain (both Dublin), Luke Carty (Roscommon), Mark Plunkett (Leitrim), Ryan Burns (Louth), Patrick O'Connor (Sligo), Kyle Higgins (Offaly), Stephen Quirke (Tipperary), Darragh Joyce (Kilkenny), Peter Cooke (Galway), Cathal McShane (Tyrone), Mikkel Kjoege (Denmark), Sam Willatt (England).
Irish Independent
Joyce, who skippered the Cats to minor glory over Limerick last September and is a brother of All-Ireland final replay man of the match Kieran, has been linked with a move to the AFL in the past.
The AFL's international talent co-ordinator Tadhg Kennelly and AFL's Europe's managing director Ben McCormack oversaw two days of testing in DCU, and the game awareness and skills of the young Kilkenny man are understood to have stood out.
Joyce attends Good Counsel in New Ross, which has an established football pedigree, but big-ball involvement at club level - he hurls for Rower-Inistioge - would be limited.
A switch to AFL would mirror the leap that Setanta O hAilpin made after playing for Cork in the 2003 All-Ireland hurling final.
McCormack intimated that the standard was the highest yet in the four European combines that the AFL have staged in Dublin since February 2011.
"It's a credit the clubs and counties that they come in such good conditions," said McCormack. "The standards seem to improve every year. The skills levels and awareness of the game are particularly good."
The AFL Europe Combine brings together potential recruits to provide a database for AFL clubs interesting in sourcing international rookies.
Since the Kennelly-led Combines were established in Ireland, Dublin's Ciaran Kilkenny, Kildare trio Sean Hurley, Paddy Brophy and Daniel Flynn and Kerry's Padraic Lucey, better known as a basketballer, have all signed contracts with AFL clubs through this system.
This year's Mayo minor captain Cian Hanley went to Brisbane, where his brother Pearse has established himself over the last seven years, but that move was independent of the Combine.
Kerry's Michael Burns, one of four from the All-Ireland minor champions, was another to impress.
Killian Spillane, son of former Kerry great Tom, and a key architect of the county's first minor triumph in 20 years, was also tested while the all-Dingle midfield pairing, Mark O'Connor and Barry O'Sullivan, were present.
Two of the Donegal team that Kerry defeated in that final, Stephen McBrearty and John Campbell, were also part of the trials which included a Dane and a Briton.
Inclusion
An interesting inclusion was Ciaron O'Hanlon, who featured for the Armagh seniors against Cavan in last year's Ulster championship defeat while still a minor.
Now 20, O'Hanlon was joined by Jarlath Og Burns, son of former Armagh captain Jarlath.
Louth's Ryan Burns, another who played senior championship football while still a minor earlier this year, also participated.
In all 17 counties have had players on the books of AFL clubs since the 'Irish experiment' first started in the early 1980s but only 45 Irish recruits have been signed up in that time.
McCormack says the statistics disprove the "sensationalism" that there is a "drain" of Irish talent to Australia, insisting: "Through our system there will be one, maybe two, at the national draft next year. The numbers are small."
Cork lead the way with six including O hAilpin who had a 10-year career in the AFL after joining Carlton Blues.
Dublin have had five on the books of AFL clubs in the 31 years since Roscommon's Paul Earley first planted the flag in Melbourne but three made little or no impact, with Ciaran Kilkenny quitting Hawthorn after just six weeks in 2012 and James Fahy and Kevin Devine failing to make it with Melbourne. Fahy travelled out with Jim Stynes in 1984.
Kildare have been particularly hit by an exodus to AFL clubs in recent years with three players - Hurley, Daniel Flynn and Brophy - signed up.
There are 10 Irish players on the books of AFL clubs: Tyrone's Conor McKenna, Pearse and Cian Hanley, Zac Tuohy (Laois), Ciaran Byrne (Louth), Ciaran Sheehan (Cork), Lucey, Flynn, Hurley and Brophy.
Players who attended the weekend trials: Michael Burns, Killian Spillane, Mark O'Connor, Barry O'Sullivan (all Kerry), Shehroz Akram (Mayo), John Campbell, Stephen McBrearty (both Donegal), Jarlath Og Burns, Ciaron O'Hanlon Both Armagh), Eoghan McHugh, Con O Ceallachain (both Dublin), Luke Carty (Roscommon), Mark Plunkett (Leitrim), Ryan Burns (Louth), Patrick O'Connor (Sligo), Kyle Higgins (Offaly), Stephen Quirke (Tipperary), Darragh Joyce (Kilkenny), Peter Cooke (Galway), Cathal McShane (Tyrone), Mikkel Kjoege (Denmark), Sam Willatt (England).
Irish Independent
