Tipperary hurling captain Brendan Maher has expressed his concerns over the possible introduction of blood testing into gaelic games.

Speaking to The Irish Independent following the news that a Monaghan footballer has tested positive for a banned substance, Maher opined: "There are arguments for and against - you don't want any cheating going on in the sport either; but it is so extreme, you would nearly be conscious of taking a Lemsip the way things have gone.

"I was tested last week just after training and you would be worried because if you have taken stuff like Panadol, there are other medicines you are not sure of, you would be told that it is okay.

"But it would be in the back of your mind. The worry is always there. It is so strict.

"It is a bit of a burden to be thinking of what you can or can't take. When you are feeling sick and down, you have to think about what to take to feel better."

He concluded: "I know that I wouldn't like to have a blood test taken the day of the match or after a match, because it would drain you so much. It would be a bit like the boxers, the day of the fight."

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