Several inter-county players are set for Australian Rules Football trials in the coming weeks.
The Wexford People reported on Tuesday that two Wexford senior footballers are set for trials in Australia. St Martin’s club man Barry O’Connor and Crossabeg-Ballymurn’s Ronan Devereux were both involved in trials last year at UCD, AFL scouts were obviously impressed with what they seen from the two players as they will now look to secure professional contracts with a club over the coming few weeks. O’Connor is set to have a trial with Sydney Swans, Devereux will have a two week international combine.
Peadar Morgan who made a couple of substitute appearances in the National Football League for Donegal, Ross McQuilan from Cavan and Luke Towey from Sligo will also be all looking to gain contracts as they are also on an international combine trial.
At the minute 13 Irish players play in the AFL. Darragh Joyce plays with St Kilda, Pearce Hanley with the Gold Coast Suns, Laois man Zach Tuohy with Geelong, James Madden with the Brisbane Lions, Anton Tohill son of Derry star Anthony plays with Collingwood along with Mark Keane from Cork. Tipperary man Colin O’Riordan plays with Sydney, Conor McKenna with Essendon, Sligo teenager Red Og Murphy plays with North Melbourne, Stefan Okunbur with Geelong, Mark O’Connor with Geelong, Conor Glass and Conor Nash also ply their trade with Hawthorn. Conor McKenna is another Irish players playing in the AFL with Essendon.
It’s not just the men though, in the Ladies AFL, Mayo’s Cora Staunton, Ailish Considine plays with Adelaide, Sarah Rowe also plays with Collingwood. Tipperary’s Aisling McCarthy plays with Western Bulldogs, while Donegal’s Yvonne Bonner plays with Greater Western Sydney.
