Today on An Saol ó Dheas on RTÉ Raidió na Gaeltachta, young Kerry and Dingle footballer Mark O'Connor announced that he would be moving to Australia to play for Geelong Football club.

Mark had met with 5 clubs in Australia earlier this month, and told Helen Ní Shé in the interview about making his final choice:

"I've made the decision to go to Geelong.  It's a very quiet place, like Dingle, and I was very comfortable there.  I was really taken with Geelong ... when I went in there everyone was very friendly, and I felt at home there."

He said that Geelong was one of the best football teams in Australia, and that had, of course, had an influence on his choice.

"Everyone wasn't to play with the best teams."

Mark will be moving over in the next three or four weeks.

"I want to go over as soon as possible. The other players won't be coming until the end of the month, so I'll have a few weeks on my own to work on my skills."

"It will be a different challenge.  I've been playing football since I was 6 or 7 ... It's attractive to stay here too (to play football for Kerry), that's why the decision was so hard ... I want a different experience, and maybe a little bit of travelling, I suppose I was looking for something different."

Mark said that the Kerry management team wished him all the best, and that they were very happy for him on a personal level.

"They were very happy to hear about it on a personal level, but with their Kerry caps on they weren't as happy.  I thanked them for all their help ... It was a bit mixed I suppose.  They were very happy for me personally, but as managers and players they weren't as happy ... They (Éamonn Fitzmaurice and Jack O'Connor) didn't put any pressure on me to stay, they said it was my own  decision."

Mark said that it was a two year contract, and that he would be able to return home at Christmas, and for 2 months when the season finished in September. 

Mark O'Connor was interviewed today on An Saol ó Dheas on RTÉ Raidió na Gaeltachta.

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