Kerry captain Kieran Donaghy gives up his job to concentrate on Gaelic Football

A big decision from the Kerry skipper.

Kerry football captain Kieran Donaghy has decided to leave his job with Ulster Bank in order to concentrate on his inter-county career. According to a report in today's Irish Independent, Donaghy will bring an end to a long association with Ulster Bank at the end of this week in order to devote more time to football and to his family over the summer months. Donaghy, who has agreed a severance package with Ulster Bank, will reportedly not be seeking to return to work until after the completion of Kerry's Championship campaign this year. The fact that his wife Hilary is expecting a baby is also thought to have been a big factor in his decision. This season is a particularly significant one for the 31-year old as he will captain the Kingdom following his club Austin Stacks' success in the Kerry county championship last year. The extra time-off will also allow Donaghy more time to attune his body to the demands of inter-county football, with the three-time All-Star having suffered a succession of injuries to his hip, groin and collarbone in recent years. By making the decision, Donaghy becomes the latest inter-county footballer to make his inter-county career a priority in the short-term. Donegal's Karl Lacey and Donaghy's Kerry teammate Darran O'Sullivan, both former Ulster Bank employees, have also followed a similar path in recent seasons.