There may be further retirements in the coming weeks, but we've ranked the best of those who have announced their retirement since the conclusion of this year's Championship
Some of the most influential footballers in the history of the game have stepped away ahead of the 2025 season - and there may yet, and mostly likely will, be more to follow.
Fenton had everything you would want in a modern midfielder and if the Teams of the Century/Millenium are revisited for the GAA’s 150th anniversary in 2034, he will have very compelling grounds for inclusion.Kept off the top spot by Fenton largely on the grounds that his long-time midfield partner was still at his zenith, while McCarthy’s career reached a natural conclusion after an injury-riddled 2024 that ended on a bum note for him and the team.
In 2019, McKaigue captained Derry to the Division Four title at 29 years of age, so to conclude his career having won a Division One title in his last season and a pair of Ulster titles before that was good going. Also part of the Tipp team that reached the 2016 All-Ireland semi-final, he was on the Ireland International Rules squad in 2017 and won an All Star in 2020.Came into the Kerry team in 2014 when they appeared to be flagging as remnants of their great team of the 2000s petered out, but helped to revitalise the side as they stormed to an unexpected All-Ireland that year.
At his peak, Maguire was one of the best full-backs in the game, with former Mayo goalkeeper John Madden, now a Caulry clubmate, saying that he “started the first couple of years of his career keeping the likes of Bernard Brogan and the Gooch scoreless in championship football. Maintained that standard all through and, for my money, was the pre-eminent full-back in the country over the last decade”.
It’s unfortunate that Hennelly will always be associated with Mayo’s loss in the 2016 All-Ireland final replay to Dublin, but he went a long way towards compensating for that, particularly with his contribution when they finally dethroned the Dubs in 2021.
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