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Kildare Star Believes He Was Dropped From Panel Because Of His Social Media Page

Kildare Star Believes He Was Dropped From Panel Because Of His Social Media Page
Lee Costello
By Lee Costello Updated
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Kevin O'Callaghan was named Kildare Player of the Year less than 12 months ago, but now he finds himself in inter-county exile.

The midfielder has not been included in the county squad since new manager Brian Flanagan took over from Glenn Ryan last summer.

O'Callaghan is an online fitness instructor and boasts a large following on social media where he makes videos offering advice on training, gym work, and nutrition.

Naturally some of these clips get a lot of traction, but when speaking to the Irish Sun, the 27-year-old thinks they might be the reason he was dropped from the panel.

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“The only thing that makes sense to me is that my social media is the reason I was dropped.

“It couldn’t have been related to my performances. Maybe he thinks it’s something that would bring negativity to the group.

"I’m not sure but it’s the only reason I can think of. It was a shock to me. I was completely caught on the hop by it.

"I’d be the first to hold my hands up if my performances dipped but if anything I think they’ve gone the other way.”

The Lillywhite star was a apart of Kildare's squad last season when the team endured a horrendous campaign that saw them relegated to Division Three, eliminated in Leinster by Wicklow, and kicked out of the Tailteann Cup by Laois.

O’Callaghan's account has over 25,000 followers, and is consistent of clips that include his own personal training, tips in the gym, and advice on recovery and nutrition for GAA players, and those who are just looking to lose weight.

“My page was created as a free platform to help people lose weight and help other athletes, especially younger ones, who might not know certain things about the food and gym side of it.

“I know when to keep the head down and not bring any negative attention to myself or the group.”

Life under Flanagan begun last weekend with a win against Fermanagh in the league, and the team looked very sharp.

The new manager was previously in charge of the very successful u20 team, so his priority is to bring in some of the younger players who performed under him and help integrate them with the more established stars.

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