Conor McKenna’s return to Australia is a blow to Tyrone.
He is a smashing player and perhaps his decision has been influenced by the fact that, when fit, he has sometimes been omitted from the starting 15.
This is not a criticism of the Tyrone management. At the end of the day, they came out of nowhere in 2021 and won an All-Ireland, one which would not have been possible without McKenna.
With so many players deciding since that title to walk away from the panel, of course questions will be asked as to why.
Homesickness appeared to be one of the main reasons McKenna originally returned to Ireland from Australia.
The phrase ‘the grass isn’t always greener’ comes to mind.
Like most people, I love to get away on holiday. I recently spent two weeks in Italy with the family and taking three youngsters – all under six – away isn’t something I would describe as a ‘holiday’.
On edge, irritable, with the half the necessary sleep – and that was just me.
Halfway through the first week, the camp came down with a vomiting bug. You don’t want to be away from home when this happens.
I have to admit, I was glad to get home and back to my routine.
I never took the opportunity to travel and play in the United States.
I would have carried the guilt of leaving the club in the lurch. It was bad enough missing some games under Down’s ‘starred’ system, but to opt out voluntarily may have left a bad taste, so I never went. I know many others who took the opportunity and loved it.
I think less is made of the player exodus to the States now and given the split season, many players are quite happy to opt out of inter-county football and be back in time for the club championship.
This is a reversal of attitudes since my inter-county days.
More than anything, though, I can probably be described as a homebird. Family, friends and football all lie here.
Conor McKenna is at an age when you begin to consider where the serious part of life starts. That means a stable job, perhaps marriage – who knows?
The opportunity to live out a dream of professional sport is a closing window.
Hang around and it shuts tight – it really is that simple.
On the flip side, not many players have successfully carved out for themselves a life-long career in the AFL and then made a life for themselves Down Under on a permanent residency.
Tadhg Kennelly and the late Jim Stynes are two who spring to mind but by and large most just don’t make it.
Just this week Tipperary player Colin O’Riordan has announced his intention to retire from the AFL at 26 having played fewer than 35 games for the Sydney Swans.
Last week it was announced that Darragh Joyce, who captained the Kilkenny minor hurlers to the All-Ireland in 2014, is not having his contract renewed at St Kilda’s.
My own county, Down, have suffered a player exodus and been left weakened as a squad.
Players such as Jamie O’Reilly, Marty Clarke and Caolan Mooney all had stints Down Under before playing for Down seniors.
The latter two were more successful than Jamie, but none of them fulfilled the kind of promise most fans expected in the red and black over a sustained period when returning home.
You look at Ciaran Kilkenny and how he has carved out a fantastic reputation and career for himself as a result of his exploits with Dublin.
Kilkenny opted not to take up an AFL offer and has become one of the finest Gaelic footballers of his generation.
Michael Murphy was the same and then there’s David Clifford, whose future looks bright on and off the field as a result of his Kerry career.
From what I know of McKenna’s decision to return to these shores, along with his homesickness his desire to win an All-Ireland with Tyrone played a part.
He achieved this, but I cannot help but feel that his first season’s relief at being home was reflected in some brilliant performances on the field – although they didn’t win an All-Ireland in 2020. A player happy off the field is happy on the field.
Perhaps his own personal high expectations and the pressure of the 2021 winning season made for an underwhelming sort of achievement in many ways thereafter.
Joe Brolly has often spoken of his immediate sense of flatness in the moments after winning an All-Ireland.
The question one asks oneself in these moments is ‘well – is this it’?
In contrast, I can only speak of losing an All-Ireland final but I would happily swap positions with any winner to experience their emotions.
However, I would probably have felt underwhelmed too, even if we had won a title.
Everyone is built differently.
My restlessness means I can’t help but focus on the next challenge and I rarely enjoy moments for what they are. My mind wanders to the next thing.
Perhaps when Conor McKenna won his medal, he achieved something very early in his return to Gaelic football that few would have predicted.
That experience surely had some influence on his return to Oz.
Underwhelmed by the experience – maybe.
The lack of a beach in Tyrone – possibly.
The mass exodus of players that has undoubtedly weakened the Red Hands’ wider panel probably also played a part.
Let’s be honest, the weather and frantic nature of life here can hardly be called attractive.
I am far too institutionalised in this place to adapt to another life abroad.
I would love the idea of upping sticks and taking my family to a warmer climate. However, I would miss my wider family and friends too much. And I would miss the football.
Conor McKenna is assessing his options, living experiences before the serious stuff starts. The serious stuff is always off the field.
I would suspect that the homesickness will no longer be front and centre of his mind and
he can be comfortable in the fact that he has made a big impact in Tyrone.
