GAA clubs across Ireland are facing dwindling numbers of players due to a shocking new wave of emigration.

To stop the rot an a call has been made to invigorate community schemes as a last ditch means of keeping talented players at home.

GAA clubs across the nation are seeing players emigrating to countries like Australia and Dubai and they fear for the future of their footballers.

Some clubs have even taken the desperate step of flying in players from London and Scotland to play their league games, whilst others are being decimated as the recession bites.

But the GAA Board is fighting back and they have presented a plan to the irish government to keep their players working in their own localities.

Galway GAA chief Gerry Larkin told the press this week that clubs with a large number of students playing for them were genuinely concerned about the future - particularly when their new star players finish college.

Larkin believed that invigorated community employment schemes, which helped to keep a lot of talented players at home during the recession years of 1980's, should now be reconsidered by the Government.