Will Darren Lunney be one of the youngest men to begin a championship game this summer?
The days of GAA players coming straight out of minor and going into senior football action are a thing of the past.
The demands placed on senior players, both in fitness and physical conditioning, means it is almost impossible for teenagers to make the step up to senior action.
However, a 19-year old Carlow is to buck that trend this afternoon, as Darren Lunney will make his senior inter-county debut for the Barrowsiders they face Louth in their Leinster championship debut in O’Moore Park.
Team is in:🇬🇳🏐🇬🇳 pic.twitter.com/KGS6Rit0PF
— Carlow GAA (@Carlow_GAA) May 14, 2016
The Ballinabranna youngster did feature for the county U-21s this season, but did not play a single minute of any of their games in the league.
Lunney is a sixth-year student in Knockbeg College, and is named at right-half forward as Carlow look to repeat their shock result from 2011 when they beat the Wee County.
There is no doubt plenty of 19-year-olds that will feature in the championship, but it’s doubtful many will have leaving cert exams to worry about too.
https://twitter.com/darrenok/status/731445401207869441
Will Shaggy Lunney do the business today @WodgeD? @Darren_Lunney
— The Car Guy (@The_CL_Guy) May 14, 2016
