Preston North End's squad got in some unusual pre-season training in Cork yesterday - when the squad had a full hurling session with local coaches.
The EFL Championship team are in a week-long training camp at Fota Island and played a friendly against Cork City on Monday night at Turner's Cross, Cork Beo reports.
But yesterday they left behind the big ball game to have a go at an unfamiliar code. And as the club's official twitter account pointed out, while they may not have taken to hurling immediately, at least they had former Cork City players Seanie Maguire and Alan Browne to help them out.
The Preston players were game, if not exactly oozing skill and class (and those black plastic hurleys look a bit flash).
However, while the squad obviously enjoyed a bit of a break from their punishing pre-season routine - quite a few Preston NE fans were not exactly over-the-moon about their foray into hurling on Leeside.
Some of the social media comments from worried Preston fans included; "Really? With our injury record?" and "That actually looks seriously dangerous".
The serious stuff kicks off for Preston in the EFL Championship next month. And if their soccer season fails to take off, they may have the makings of a half-decent Junior B side.
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