Jimmy Geoghegan: David Martin in his days when he played with Athboy and Meath

There was a great deal made some weeks ago of Ethan Nwaneri, the 15-year-old who made his debut for Arsenal in their 3-0 win over Brentford in the Premier League - and rightfully so. It is an indication of Nwaneri's immense promise that he has made it to that level at such a young age.

Yet others have paved the way for him, including one man from Dublin, Eamonn Collins who I recall speaking too many years ago about his life and times. Eamonn, a relative of current Republic of Ireland international Nathan Collins, played for Blackpool when he was just 14 in 1980, becoming the youngest player ever to appear in English professional football up to that point.

Closer to home we have an example of that tremendous precociousness - and its a story contained in the recently published book 'A GAA Story' a history of the GAA in Athboy by Bernard O'Byrne.

In the publication there is the remarkable tale of David Martin or 'Scobie' as he is widely known. Martin was, like Nwaneri and Collins, an immense talent, mature way beyond his years.

At just 13 the club in Athboy asked Scobie's parents if they could play him in a senior hurling game. The parents felt, understandably, he was too young but, according to the book, they "relented" a year later and he did play. Not only that, he thrived in the rough and tumble environment of senior hurling.

So much so that he was selected to play for the Meath senior hurling team. He was 15 years and seven months old when he appeared against Carlow in the NHL in Carlow in 1987.

David had enough talent to play in just about any position - and it did help that he was selected for Meath as a goalkeeper. He was brought into the panel originally just to get experience. Then a goalkeeping crisis developed. David was asked to step into the breach. He did well too, made two exceptional saves and helped Meath to a 2-6 to 1-5 victory.

David went on to play both football and hurling at a high level when still only a youngster. Not only that he enjoyed success in the green and gold. He was on the Meath team, for example, that won the All-Ireland MFC victory over Kerry in 1990 - a fine achievement indeed. No matter what sport he turned to David excelled. A measure of just how talented he was could be seen in the way, as the book tells us, he became the first Athboy player to be selected for the Leinster hurling team in the famous Railway Cup since Bob Collins back in the 1920s. Martin played in a half-back line alongside Kilkenny legend DJ Carey and Wexford's Martin Storey.

In the mid-1990s David, like so many of his generation, moved to live in the US. He settled in Chicago and became a successful businessman. He also continued winning medals Stateside with various teams.

With new rules in place now David wouldn't be allowed to play senior inter-county hurling at the age he did, and it’s perhaps just as well - but David 'Scobie' Martin was a rare talent indeed. The kind we don't see very often.