Down defender Niall McParland said there can be no sugar-coating the situation should emerging midfield star Odhrán Murdock make the switch to the AFL.
The Burren clubman is one of a number of players heading to an Aussie Rules combine at the end of the month, and if he were snapped up then Gaelic football would be losing one of its most promising young players.
Murdock was still under-20 last season but is already being talked about as a future star and his absence would be a huge blow to Conor Laverty's side having impressed with a series of brilliant performances in his first two seasons at senior level.
He would be only the fourth male Mourne player to move to the AFL after current Mourne coach Marty Clarke (Collingwood), team-mate Caolan Mooney (Collingwood), who trained with the panel towards the end of the 2023 season, and former Down player Jamie O’Reilly (Richmond).
"You couldn’t sugar-coat that one, it would be a massive loss. He’s going to be a phenomenal player if he keeps on track," former skipper McParland said.
"I did read it at the weekend and half closed my eyes and pretended I hadn’t. He’s a young lad so if he wants to go and give it a try, it might not be forever.
"They mightn’t like him, you never know, hopefully he only kicks with the bad foot when he’s over there!
"It would be a huge loss. Look at our management team, Marty Clarke there is well experienced and I’m sure Odhrán has given him a call, or vice-versa, and they’ve had a conversation about it.
"Odhrán’s a good, settled lad and he mightn’t have any interest on moving there. I honestly haven’t spoken to him about it, it’s not for me to talk on. Of course I don’t want him to go, but that’s me being selfish."
Whatever happens with Murdock, McParland is hopeful Down can move forward from what he felt was a good campaign in Laverty’s first season.
While the team gained many plaudits, they still missed out on two of their key targets, promotion from Division 3 and a Tailteann Cup success having lost to Meath in the final.
"Probably not as much progression as wanted," was how McParland summed up the campaign.
"We’re still unfortunately in Division 3 and at the moment we’re still Tailteann Cup unless everything falls nicely for us next year in the leagues and that.
"On paper, maybe not massive progression but I think if you were in and around the squad, if you went to any of the games, Páirc Esler some of the nights, there were massive steps taken forward this year for Down football.
"The squad, the depth, and some of the performances last season, even early in the McKenna Cup, they were as good a set of performances as I have been involved with during my time with Down over the last 10 or 11 years.
"Not easy at the time, but probably plenty of good learning moments over the season too. Fermanagh in the league, a last-minute goal probably stops us getting promotion. The Tailteann Cup, obviously a massive performance in the semi-final with eight goals (v Laois), but we maybe ran away with ourselves after that.
"Them young lads hadn’t been through that before, lads telling you you’re great and you’ll beat them (Meath) no bother, you should have beaten them earlier. That sort of talk they’re not used to and then paying for it on the biggest day at Croke Park.
"In two or three years I’m sure we’ll look back at that and say that it was a moment they grew a bit from.
"It’s hard to think of when you’re going back to pre-season and through it all again, but in few years that hopefully will have worked as a favour for us."
The Glenn man, who is preparing for a Down quarter-final against Mayobridge this weekend, agreed that the buzz had returned to Down football following a number of years when enthusiasm appeared to dip significantly both amongst fans and those wanted to pull on the red and black jersey.
"I played through the years where you could feel it dwindling and when the support dwindles the want for playing dwindles with it.
"I was ringing lads asking them to come back, we were trying to get the band back really but if didn’t suit they weren’t coming. That’s fair, boys have lives.
"This year had a lot to do with Conor and the management team he put together. When I heard they were coming I was sure I was wanting to play if I was asked, and I don’t think too many said no.
"I played through the years were you could feel it dwindling and when the support dwindles the want for playing dwindles with it."
"That gathered pace with some of the players who were there, it ignited a bit of heart back into the Down support.
"Even if you look at the wee supporter nights we had. In the past years you could have thrown a blanket over everyone, one umbrella did everyone, but this year the stand was half full watching us train on a wet night and after it the pitch was full.
"Conor made sure we gave everyone a wee bit of time. That makes a difference too, just making sure you’re interacting with everyone. For a lot of the young lads that what probably the first time they got to do something like that."
McParland was speaking at the launch of a night of celebration for his old alma mater St Colman’s, Newry who are celebrating both 200 years as a school and 100 years of football at Violet Hill.
Michael Cusack, the most prominent founding member of the GAA, taught there and the roots firmed up from there with the school second on the Hogan Cup roll of honour with eight wins, four behind St Jarlath’s Tuam.
McParland captained the 2010 side to glory at Croke Park and he is looking forward to celebrating all ranges of achievements at a gala dinner at the Canal Court Hotel on 18 November.
"It was probably lost on me at that age, how important MacRory and Hogan Cup and Rannafast football was. Our team was lucky enough to be strong enough to win the three of them and it’s nothing when you’re 15 or 16 or 17 but later on life you realise how brilliant it was.
"Going to Croke Park and winning on All-Ireland final day, something I thought I’d be doing more regularly, it gives you some memories… it’s a great chance to celebrate it."
