MARTY MORRISSEY admitted he is “slightly worried” at the trend of GAA players swapping clubs – warning “the strong will get stronger”.
Recent years have seen some major names switch clubs, with Shane Walsh famously going from Kilkerrin-Clonberne to Kilmacud Crokes in 2022.
It is an issue that hits home for Morrissey, with the RTE legend pointing to Keelan Sexton transferring from Kilmurray-Ibrickane to Na Fianna.
Morrissey – who is a member of the Clare club – called his loss a “huge blow” and admitted he was “worried” about players going from one club to another.
Speaking on the ‘Changing Times’ podcast with Mary McAleese and Mary Kennedy, he said: “I’d be slightly worried.
“The GAA is in a very good position but there are more and more people – it’s not immigration; it’s migration.
“We have lost a great footballer at home, Keelan Sexton. He is a lawyer here in Dublin and he is joining Na Fianna and he is a huge blow for us because he is brilliant.
“Same with every other small club in rural Ireland.
“I don’t blame them because it is a long way to Dublin from West Clare or Antrim or Donegal or wherever they are going.
“Unfortunately I think the stronger will get stronger and it is very hard. What processes do you put in to kind of halt it a small bit?”
The 66-year-old proceeded to advocate for inter-county and club managers being from the local areas.
He added: “I think it would reduce costs substantially as well. We are where we are.
“I love all sport – I love rugby, I love soccer as well, but the GAA, because of where I am from, is the heartbeat of me and the heartbeat of our village and the heartbeat of our parish.
“It gives you that sense of pride when you wear that jersey that this is us.
“Club is the core and I would think we have a very bright future in the GAA but I would be just worried about the smaller clubs.
“I remember when I started first there was a club in the All-Ireland club final and I have always asked about it because it was one of my first matches in Croke Park.
“I said where are they now? and they are in Junior B. You can’t guarantee.
“We were lucky in our club that so many joined the guards because they ended up in Limerick and Shannon and Ennis and Galway.
“If they didn’t have that sense of employment, they would have drifted.
“I am all in favour of people travelling considering my own background but to keep the club going is quite difficult and you need to always have a recycling of people.
“Some people are brilliant, they give their whole lives. Some people just get tired.
“You need that reach of a nation and that commitment to the parish and to the club which I don’t think will ever die but we do have to mind it.
