Offaly GAA supporters bracing themselves for devastating loss of star emerging footballer

OFFALY GAA supporters are bracing themselves for the potential loss of one of the county's most exciting emerging footballers.

Cillian Bourke attended the Australian Football League final in Melbourne on Saturday as the Brisbane Lions destroyed the Geelong Cats.

The Tullamore man was invited to attend after impressing in a series of trials for the Australian Football League in recent months.

It had been known for several months that he had attracted interest from Australian Football League scouts and news that he had attended and impressed at trials was greeted with very mixed emotions by Offaly and Tullamore GAA supporters.

If he is offered a contract and accepts, he will be a devastating loss to both Offaly and Tullamore. Despite just completing his Leaving Certificate at Colaiste Choilm in Tullamore this year, Bourke has already emerged into a hugely important Offaly senior footballer.

A strong running midfielder who can score and cover vast ground, he is the type of player Offaly have been crying out for and it would be a cruel blow if he goes, which now seems likely. He established himself on the Offaly senior football team this year, playing very well in the championship and the Tailteann Cup while he was sensational in the Offaly Senior Football Championship final last year as Tullamore edged out Ferbane.

He has recently started an apprenticeship with Tower Civil Engineering, a company who specialise in roadworks, but the fact that he has attended trials and went to Australia for their big final is evidence that he is interested in pursuing a professional career there.

While every Offaly GAA supporter will be dismayed to lose him, no one will begrudge him the opportunity to be a professional player. It is a golden opportunity and he could regret it later if he didn't pursue it and see how he gets on.

While Australian Football League clubs have long pursued Irish players, it is an entirely different game than football and very difficult to make it. Some have had very successful careers there but a lot don't make it, returning home after a couple of years – some of these have struggled to re-establish themselves at home, with the gruesome professional training regime exacting a heavy toll.

Even if does go, Bourke could well return home and play for Offaly in the future – though people will be wishing him the best of luck and genuinely hoping that he can make it.

Bourke and Derry's Ruari Forbes had been invited to make pitches to clubs there at the AFL Combine after meeting some of the most important testing criteria in the recent trials in Dublin – a 20 metre sprint and 2k run are among the things that they really assess people on and Bourke possesses both speed and stamina.

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There are currently 13 Irish players with AFL clubs but they may not all have their contracts renewed for next year while players have attended the Combine previously and not been offered contracts.

Bourke will be available for Tullamore for the concluding stages of the Offaly Senior Football Championship.