Transfers are a part of club GAA.
The travelling home becomes unsustainable for some, leading them to moving away from their home clubs.
Losing star players is inevitably hugely detrimental to a club, and this year has shown that very clearly. Here are seven clubs who have lost key players in recent times, before slipping into relegation trouble this year.
Kilkerrin Clonberne (Shane Walsh)
The North Galway club lost their star man Shane Walsh to Kilmacud Crokes in July 2022 and, just over two years on, they are one game away from junior football.
They made it to the quarter finals of the Galway IFC in 2022, their first year without Walsh, but they were involved in a relegation play-off in 2023 and will dance with the devil again this weekend, taking on Williamstown in the Intermediate relegation final this Saturday afternoon.
In the mean-time, Walsh has won two Dublin SFC titles, two Leinsters and one All-Ireland.
Calry St Josephs (Adrian/Darragh Cummins)
The Sligo brothers transferred to St Vincent's at the beginning of 2023, playing in the Dublin quarter finals recently against Ballymun. Their home club lost the senior relegation semi-final to Tourlestrane last Sunday.
Caherlistrane (Cein D'Arcy)
Another north Galway club, Caherlistrance have also struggled since D'Arcy's transfer to Ballyboden St Enda's in 2023.
They were involved in a relegation dogfight last year, before defeating An Spidéal, and they're in a relegation final this weekend, against Monivea Abbey.
St Farnan's (Paddy O'Connor)
The Sligo star transferred to Kilmacud Crokes at the beginning of this year, playing a crucial role in their semi-final win over Na Fianna at the weekend, kicking two from play.
Back home, his club are competing in the intermediate relegation semi-final against Castleconnor this Saturday.
South Liberties (Brian Ryan)
A former All-Ireland winner with Limerick, Ryan transferred to Na Fianna in 2023, winning a Dublin SHC in his first year with the club.
In his absence, South Liberties won a relegation play-off in 2023, but went down to intermediate this year after losing to Adare. Ryan will be a key man for Na Fianna in their Dublin SHC semi-final against St Vincent's this Sunday.
St Pat's Palmerstown (Liam Rushe)
Rushe helped his home club St Pat's Palmerstown win the Dublin senior B title in 2008, hurling senior for them until 2016, when they were relegated to intermediate.
He transferred to Na Fianna in the winter of 2020, helping them win their first ever Dublin SHC title in 2023. It's been a downhill slide for St Pat's, losing a Junior A relegation play-off to Skerries Harps last weekend by 3-19 to 0-6.
Ballygarrett Réalt na Mara (Cathal Dunbar)
The Wexford senior transferred to Naomh Eanna in 2018, winning county titles in 2018 and 2023. His home club Ballygarrett lost the intermediate A relegation final to Oulart-the-Ballagh last weekend, dropping down to the fourth tier of hurling in the county.
