'I'm not just a footballer, I'm a person as well' - Mayo goalkeeper breaks silence about social media abuse

Getting caught in the eye of a storm of online abuse is not something Rob Hennelly likes to talk about anymore.

In October 2016, the Mayo team was chasing their first All-Ireland title in 65 years. Goalkeeper Rob Hennelly conceded a penalty and got a black card in the replay against Dublin.

The Mayo footballers were beaten by a single point. The agony of coping with such a defeat was compounded by waves of social media abuse for Mayo players and management. Hennelly got the brunt of it.

In his first in-depth interview since then, he told Prime Time the reason he does not talk much about it because "it's something I've dealt with. I put it in its place."

He came through that low point and is back playing impressively for Mayo but "at the time it was something I found very difficult to deal with".

"There's lots of lessons in it. I wouldn't wish it on my worst enemy, at the same time, to be the focus of online abuse," he said.

A problem that is endemic across society, a dark undercurrent of vicious online abuse has become much more prevalent in GAA circles in recent times.

Several managers, players and referees have found themselves on the receiving end of attacks from online trolls this year. So as the keyboard warriors wreak havoc, is toxic online abuse of GAA personnel spiralling out of control?

GAA President Larry McCarthy says he is worried about online attacks on GAA members. He told Prime Time: "Will people continue to volunteer for a voluntary sports organisation if this level of abuse continues? Logically, you would say 'no', and it's going to impinge on our ability to deliver hurling and football in clubs around the country."

Like no other position on a GAA pitch, goalkeepers often bear most criticism when a team is