New Laois football manager Sean Dempsey has admitted that Conor Meredith's decision to pursue a career in Australian Rules is a massive blow to the O'Moore County. The former minor star has signed a two-year contract with the North Melbourne Kangaroos, meaning he will not be available to Dempsey, who admitted that he was considering calling him into this year's senior squad. However, he decided not to mention it to the 19-year-old O'Dempsey's clubman as he felt it would be unfair on him as he attempted to forge a career in Australian Rules. "We said we'd wait to see what happened in Australia," Dempsey said. "We didn't think it would be fair on him to be distracting him if he was going to make a career for himself. If he went over and didn't make it, we can't say for definite, but we probably would be bringing him in. "You wouldn't like to say to a fella 'don't go and we'll put you on the Laois panel', and then something happen and he wasn't picked and he say 'you kept me home and didn't play me'. That would be wrong to do." The new Laois boss added: "He's a fine footballer, he has the physique, the pace, everything you want in a senior player, a clever footballer as well. "It was only a matter of when the timing was right to get him onto a senior squad. That's not going to happen for two years now by the sound of things. "That's another disappointment for us. He is a big loss, but I am glad for him." Tweet

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