Kerry look set to lose another promising underage star to the lures of professional sport in Australia. According to reports from the Kingdom yesterday, wing-forward Rob Monahan is set to make the move Down Under to join Carlton.
The Ardfert player featured throughout the Kerry U20s run this year as the cruised to Munster title and made it to the All-Ireland semi-finals, where they fell to Sligo
However, that loss to Sligo will have been the wing forward's last involvement with his county for the foreseeable future as he looks to make his way in the AFL, following in the footsteps of Dingle's Mark O'Connor, who won his first AFL Premiership last season with Geelong.
Monahan will be joined by Longford man Matt Duffy at Carlton. Shannonside FM first reported that the talented 19-year-old from Dromard has signed a two-year contract with Carlton, though his club hope to retain him for the 2023 Championship.
The Irish Examiner reported that Carlton were in Dublin to run trials on the weekend of the All-Ireland football final.
The club had previously signed gaelic football talent like Cillian McDaid and Ciaran Byrne in the past.
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Rob Monahan moves to AFL Giants
Monahan is a big talent who plays football with Ardfert and hurls with Kilmoyley. In June, he did his leaving cert at Mercy Mounthawk in Tralee, the same school where he put in some memorable performances in the Corn Ui Mhuiri Cup.
What a score from Rob Monahan who reduces the gap to a single point in the @MunsterGAA Corn Ui Mhuiri semi-final between @GAAMounthawk and @thesemkillarney!
Stream Pass👇https://t.co/BOY2xhq3IA pic.twitter.com/k9AKBzw3Bv— StreamSport.ie (@StreamsportI) January 28, 2023
Murt Murphy in the Examiner reported that young Kerry players Cillian Burke, Will Shine and Darragh Lyne were also being scouted by AFL teams.
In 2018, there was considerable outcry about the recruitment of gaelic footballers by AFL clubs. At the time, Kerry legend and current Kerry U20 manager Tomas O Sé said local clubs should be paid a fee for the poaching of their players.
SEE ALSO: Erin Sands - Granddaughter Of Bobby Sands - Wins Junior All-Ireland Win With Down
