Stephen O'Neill retirement official

[Main Street]

I thought I heard on RTE sports this evening that he has just officially retired from inter county football.
I can't find any confirmation of this news.
If true it is a football tragedy.

[ExiledGael]

Got a text from a distraught Tyrone man who also heard it on the radio. Terrible news.

[never kickt a ball]

O'Neill retirement stuns Tyrone
Tyrone GAA has been stunned by the news that Stephen O'Neill has retired from intercounty football at the aged of 27.
County manager Mickey Harte told BBC Sport on Thursday evening that O'Neill had decided that 10 years of intercounty football was enough.

O'Neill has been troubled by injury in recent years and is currently out of action but Harte believes the decision is not just injury-related.

"He feels that he has no more to give to the county," added the Tyrone boss.

O'Neill has told Harte that he does intend to continue for his club Clann na nGael.

Harte revealed that O'Neill had first told him of his plan to quit back in October.


"I was hoping that we would be able to change his mind and that he would come round once he got over his knee problem but his mind is made up."


Story from BBC SPORT:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/sport1/hi/northern_ireland/gaelic_games/7207950.stm#

This story was doing the rounds for a while now. Amazing the journo's only picked up on it now. Best of luck Stevie!!!

[BallyhaiseMan]

Terrible Loss to the GAA,Hope he can be persuaded to return.

one of the Modern greats of the game.

[Farrandeelin]

I hope we haven't seen the last of him. I will always remember the goal he got against us in the quarter final in 04. He is a great player and it would be a bad reflection on our game if he retires at his age.

[Main Street]

This story was doing the rounds for a while now. Amazing the journo's only picked up on it now. Best of luck Stevie!!!

I checked with the Tyrone thread before starting the thread and I didn't see anything confirmed there, in fact  apart from Hardstation there was  more denial that it can't happen.

[Kerry Mike]

Heard this rumoured a few weeks ago. Fantastic player in his day, always thought he was older than 27, would have said early 30's he will be a huge loss to Tyrone. It takes serious dedication nowadays to play intercounty football for an extended period.

[Fear ón Srath Bán]

All the best to Stevie, he owes us nothing at this stage, as we owe him everything. Terrible pity though, that such a sublime talent has felt compelled to curtail his footballing career at such a relatively premature stage -- without equal at his best on either wing.

Maith thú Stevie.

[ONeill]

Devastating news.

His 2005 season will live long in the memory.

[Puckoon]

 


Stephen, while its a sad day for Tyrone football, you owe us nothing. A gentleman whose softly spoken nature belied his ruthless clinical and stylish finishing on the field. Goan away back sir and take the free keeks for clan na gael.


Maybe someday you'll come out for a swansong.

[never kickt a ball]

This story was doing the rounds for a while now. Amazing the journo's only picked up on it now. Best of luck Stevie!!!

I checked with the Tyrone thread before starting the thread and I didn't see anything confirmed there, in fact  apart from Hardstation there was  more denial that it can't happen.

Heard rumours AGAIN, that Stevie O'Neill is for packing inter county football in...

Here's one from 20th Dec. I meant rumours and stories etc. As you can see from the story above he informed MH in October and MH hoped to persuade him back.

[ziggysego]

Terrible news for Tyrone heading into the 2008 NFL and Championship campaign.

As Fear ón Srath Bán says, he has given a lot to Tyrone county football down through the years and owes us nothing more.

I just hope it's a short lived retirement...

[ONeill]

O'Neill retirement stuns Tyrone

Tyrone GAA has been stunned by the news that Stephen O'Neill has retired from intercounty football at the age of 27.

County manager Mickey Harte told BBC Sport on Thursday evening that O'Neill had decided that 10 years of intercounty football was enough.

O'Neill has been troubled by injury in recent years and is currently out of action but Harte believes the decision is not just injury-related.

"He feels that he has no more to give to the county," added the Tyrone boss.

O'Neill has told Harte that he does intend to continue for his club Clann na nGael.

"Injury does deflate people but I don't think that it was just injury, that was part of his thought process."

   
606: DEBATE
Give your thoughts on Stephen O'Neill intercounty retirement

Harte revealed that O'Neill had first told him of his plan to quit back in October.

"I was hoping that we would be able to change his mind and that he would come round once he got over his knee problem but his mind is made up.

"He has thought this decision through very carefully and we have to respect his decision and be grateful for the tremendous service that he gave the county.

"We wish him all the best for the future."

O'Neill won the first of his two All Star awards in 2003 and his second honour came two years later when he was also named the GAA's official footballer of the year.

The 27-year-old, who works as a schoolteacher in Gortin, plans to get married in August.

BBC

[mhacadoir]

from an armagh fan....

im sad to see stephen o neill retire. fantastic talent, great player even if was wearin tyrone colours.

gaelic footballer will be worse for his loss.

maith thú

[FermPundit]

A truly wonderful player who'll be a massive loss to the GAA. It's just a pity that he has been plagued with injury in recent seasons.