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Dublin players celebrating their All-Ireland final win against Kerry last September. James Crombie/INPHO

Dublin footballers' highly-rated physical trainer has new role with the IRFU

Martin Kennedy is moving on.

THE DUBLIN SENIOR footballers are set to lose highly-rated physical trainer Martin Kennedy as he has taken up a new role with the IRFU.

Kennedy has been an integral part of the Dublin senior football setup since Jim Gavin took over in 2012.

His loss is offset by last night’s news that Bryan Cullen is joining Dublin GAA as High Performance Director having moved from his position with Leinster Rugby.

Cullen’s role will encompass strength and conditioning with the Dublin senior football side but will also have a role with all of the other Dublin inter-county teams.

Kennedy’s departure comes after he played a key role in Dublin’s brilliant success under Gavin which has delivered All-Ireland crowns in 2013 and 2015 along with three-in-a-rows in Leinster and the National League.

The42 understands that Kennedy’s new position with the IRFU will not involve working with Joe Schmidt’s senior squad but is instead part of the High Performance Unit.

That body generally involves work with age grade teams and programmes to bring young players through to the elite level of the game, while also involving work with 7s rugby teams.

Kennedy himself is a former Dublin minor and U21 player, who played his club football with Naomh Mearnóg in Portmarnock.

His coaching CV includes stints with AFL side West Coast Eagles, the London senior footballers and the Dublin ladies footballers. He was also instrumental in setting up NADA (National Athlete Development Academy).

Anthony Daly drafted Kennedy into his Dublin senior hurling setup at the end of 2010 and his input helped them progress to claim the league crown in 2011, while they also reached the Leinster final and All-Ireland semi-final that same year.

- Additional reporting by Murray Kinsella

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Fintan O'Toole
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