GAELIC GAMES AIB CLUB CHAMPIONSHIPS:THE LURE of the International Rules series appears to be waning among some of the country's leading footballers. Kerry's Colm "Gooch" Cooper says he is prioritising club, county and then country – in that order – and Dublin's Alan Brogan says the additional commitment and demands of the series has become an issue.
Both players were speaking in Dublin yesterday at the launch of the AIB club championship, although that was hardly the sole reason for them emphasising their club preferences.
Cooper has the Kerry county final to look forward to on Sunday week – when his Dr Crokes team take on Austin Stacks – and given Dr Crokes haven’t won the title in 10 years that is naturally his sole focus.
“The International Rules just has no appeal for me at the moment,” said Cooper.
“I know guys do enjoy playing it but I don’t have any real interest in it, not when the club are in the county final. That’s basically where my focus is.”
Cooper admitted his indifference to the series, set for later this month, was partly based on a largely forgettable experience of 2005, plus that Ireland manager Anthony Tohill didn’t actually make any contact:
“I played in 2005 and unfortunately for me it was an ill-tempered affair.
“ I just didn’t enjoy it that much. It was great to say that you played for Ireland, but we were comprehensively beaten.
“It is a game that I tried, had the experience of it, and it is probably not for me. So I just left it at that.
“But none of the selectors were on to me, no. They have enough players. I don’t really know who is involved from Kerry. I think Kieran Donaghy but I’ll be watching it on telly to see how they do.”
Brogan is similarly focused on club commitments, as his St Oliver Plunkett/Eoghan Ruadh team take on close rivals St Brigid’s in the semi-final of the Dublin championship this Saturday.
Although younger brother Bernard is still hoping to juggle club and country commitments, the elder Brogan is content to give the club his full attention.
“At this stage, for me, the club title is very important. We’ve been knocking on the door three or four times and we have been close enough to it. So I decided not to play the International Rules to concentrate on the club, and because of other things going on in my life as well.
“Sometimes it can be difficult for club guys when you’re coming back from the intercounty season as well, and fitting in the training sessions. I wanted to give the club a good lash this year.”
Brogan stopped short of saying the International Rules was losing its appeal, but said the GAA might need to look at the extra demands:
“The way it’s played at the moment, it’s putting a lot of pressure on guys who are still involved with their clubs.
“I don’t have to look any further than home. In Bernard’s case, he’s out with them twice at the weekend. He’s trying to train with Plunkett’s and playing every second week and he’s carrying knocks out of the summer as well.
“I think they talk about player welfare and there certainly is an issue there for really top players who are being asked to do too much after a long hard year with their county teams.
“Where I am at the moment with my career, coming out of the summer and going into a club championship, I wouldn’t be able to offer the commitment that playing for Ireland would have needed.”
Cooper’s reasoning for giving Dr Crokes his full commitment is understandable. They last won the Kerry title in 2000, when Cooper was a fledgling 17-year-old, and have lost three finals since – in 2005, 2006, and again last year, on each occasion to South Kerry.
Now, having beaten South Kerry in the semi-final last Sunday (with Cooper hitting 1-6) the chance for redemption is close.
Cooper will also be in line for the Kerry football captaincy in 2011 should they win.
“2000 was my first year, and for whatever reason we haven’t been able to get over the line since. We lost two finals by a point, so we’ve been unlucky, or just haven’t been good enough to go on and win the game.
“But we feel this year we’ve played well, and improved as the championship has gone on. We’re just hoping now there’s a small bit more improvement, to get us over the line.
“But the captaincy is something I really haven’t thought about. My sole goal now is to win the county championship.
“This team has been on the road, have had a lot of ups and downs, and it would be really sweet if we could pull it off this time with this group of players.
“It’s different to intercounty level. With Kerry you have lots of opportunities for big days out, but this team probably needs to win a county championship now. Like I say, maybe we feel we deserve one. It would be great to win, having lost so much.
“In terms of the captaincy, that’s just a bonus, if you want to call it that, for afterwards. If you gave me the captaincy now, or winning the county championship, I’d take winning a county championship all the time.”
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