Kennelly says jobs on line for Irish team

Tadhg Kennelly says Ireland’s economic woes have made it extremely difficult for some of his amateur team-mates to commit to the International Rules Series.

Australia, who scored wins in Limerick and Dublin in 2010, host Ireland for matches in Melbourne on Friday and Gold Coast on 4 November.

Former Sydney defender Kennelly says while the Irish players have great pride in representing their country, times are tough.

“It’s very hard for people athome. These footballers are amateurs,” Kennelly said on Monday.

“The problem is trying to hold on to a job in Ireland at the moment.

“To try to get three weeks off work to come out to Australia to play a game, it’s very, very difficult for players to come out and leave a job at home.

“It’s huge. A lot of these blokes are leaving work not knowing whether they can go back to a job or not.

“The country really has suffered.”

Kennelly, who played in Sydney’s 2005 AFL premiership side, returned to his native Ireland for the 2009 season and claimed an All-Ireland medal with County Kerry.

After two more seasons with the Swans, the 30-year-old retired last month.

“I went back in 2009 and played for a year. When I came back to Australia, I was thinking the recession had hit Sydney as well,” Kennelly told SEN Radio.

“It was like a different planet. I couldn’t believe how the economy was booming and everything was going great.

“It’s extremely difficult for these (Irish) players to leave.

“That’s I suppose the commitment that they’ve got to play for their country.

“It’s a great occasion for Irish footballers.”

Ireland’s unemployment rate rose to 14.8 per cent in June 2011, trailing only Spain’s 21 per cent in the 17-nation eurozone.

Kennelly said club commitments had meant a handful of leading players were unavailable for the trip to Australia.

But he denied Ireland would field a second-string side.

Meanwhile, Kennelly defended the Australian camp’s decision to pick only two 2011 All-Australian players, Stephen Milne and James Kelly, in their 23-man squad for the IRS.

“That’s the way it’s got to be, otherwise the Irish would run away with it,” Kennelly said bluntly.

“You pick teams and pick players who are going to match the game, and that’s what’s been good about it because it’s going to be an even contest.

“That’s hard for the viewers at home or the people that are going to come and watch the game (to understand).”