BY RONAN SCOTT
r.scott@gaeliclife.com
Edmund Rice's Nolan Cup victory has been marred by the fact that their top scorer Conor Devlin won't be returning next year as his professional contract with Manchester United soccer club kicks in in July.
While this is great news for the 16-year-old St Enda's footballer, it is a blow to the GAA in Antrim.
Devlin is regarded as one of the brightest stars at minor level but if he makes a big impact at Manchester United then gaels in Antrim may never realise his potential with a size five .
Furthermore Devlin is not the only Antrim minor soon to be lost to a soccer club. Lamh Dhearg's Declan Bunting is on Celtic's books, and he would have been another future star of the Gaelic Football scene in the Saffron county if it weren't for the interest of the Glasgow giants.
Once players such as Bunting and Devlin sign their professional soccer contracts at age 16 they are expected to move away to their respective clubs and are lost to Gaelic games.
These stories put the fears over the AFL poaching players into perspective as a young footballer playing Aussie Rules is more likely to return to Gaelic Football than a soccer player would.
Antrim County minor manager Seam Fleming, who is also a coach at Edmund Rice, explained: "Soccer is a bigger drain on players because the teams are so much closer. It doesn't happen that often but when a players does sign a contract and becomes successful they aren't able to come back and play for their clubs."
Up until their 16th birthday players on the books with team in England or Scotland travel over to their soccer clubs a couple of times a year. However, those clubs actively encouraged them to continue with Gaelic football.
In Devlin's case it is a massive help to him.
"Conor is a goalkeeper in soccer. Manchester United send a specialist coach over to work with him. But the skills he has for Gaelic are a big help. He has great hands and feet," said Fleming.
Those skills were a massive asset to Edmund Rice college who relied heavily on Devlin to steer them past Lumen Christi, Derry in the Ulster Colleges C final, the Nolan Cup.
"He will be a big loss to the school and to the minor team. He is a guy who has great potential," said Fleming. "He missed out a lot of football from playing for the Northern Ireland soccer team."
Declan Bunting has also sacrificed county minor football because of his soccer commitments. But these footballers are not alone in their dual responsibilities. Darren McVeigh, who won a colleges All-Star in hurling, and a MacLarnon Cup medal with St Mary's plays for Linfield.
Yet the situation is not confined to Belfast according to Fleming: "It happens in Derry as well. They have had plenty of players who played soccer. I think we have passed the days where there are just two sports," he said.
In fact Fleming has maintained a very good relationship with Celtic and Manchester United. The Rossa man explained that because Devlin has been travelling to England since he was 12, when the club took him on as a school boy, the youth coaches kept the lines of communication open so that they could monitor his progress and update the school when they needed him to travel over.
The good news is that Devlin will still be available for Antrim in their May 18 Ulster minor championship meeting with Cavan. However, Bunting's presence is in doubt. If Celtic are still involved in the under 19 Scottish Cup he will not be available to play.
However, despite the fact that in a handful of months time both players may not be available for his minor team, Fleming still wishes them the best.
"Hopefully Conor goes over their and does well. But if he doesn't then he'll be able to come back and play for us," he added.
