Kingdom blow as experienced Maher joins exodus from senior set-up
KERRY have still to appoint a successor to Eamonn Fitzmaurice but the new man will be shorn of yet more experience after midfielder Anthony Maher announced his retirement from the inter-county game.
The Duagh man confirmed the news yesterday and becomes the third Kerry star in the last few week to walk away, joining Kieran Donaghy and Donnchadh Walsh.
The two-time All-Ireland winner confirmed the news in a statement on the Kerry GAA website.
“Since pulling on my first green and gold jersey back in 1999 for the primary game in Páirc Uí Chaoimh, I’ve had the immense pleasure of representing my family, my parish and my county – now the time has come to call it a day,” read the statement.
“I’d firstly like to thank all my former team-mates. While I am retiring from Kerry football with a heavy heart, I’m retiring with incredible memories.”
Maher won eight Munster medals and two National League medals under Jack O’Connor and Fitzmaurice.
His 2018 campaign was curbed by injury with his involvement restricted to substitute appearances in Kerry’s three outings in the ‘Super 8s’ that ultimately proved ill-fated.
Maher’s retirement means that just Darran O’Sullivan and Killian Young have more than one All-Ireland medal in the Kerry dressing room.
Elsewhere, the Dublin County Board hope to have a new senior hurling manager in place by the end of the month.
The executive have been charged with finding a replacement for Pat Gilroy after he made the shock decision to step away due to work commitments.
A handful of names are thought to be in the hat including Cuala boss Mattie Kenny and Anthony Cunningham, who served as team coach under Gilroy.
Dublin’s new campaign will have an unfamiliarly early start this season with the Dubs due to begin their Walsh Cup campaign away to Carlow on December 9.
Wexford boss Davy Fitzgerald has stepped down from his role as manager of LIT.
During his 16 years with the Limerick outfit the Clare man won the Fitzgibbon Cup in 2005 and 2007 and will take on an ambassadorial role within LIT.