Paul McGrane Retires

Doogie Browser · April 08, 2009, 11:21:42 PM

Quote from: Our Nail Loney on April 08, 2009, 11:16:47 PM
Not even joking he was in my work today, and I said what about the football and he just laughed and said didnt wanna talk about it... Suppose he is sick talking about it

Headline in the Lurgan Mail: 'ONL ends McGrane's career after dud tip'

Winnie Peg · April 08, 2009, 11:31:05 PM

Paul McGrane was the man! He was central to everything that Armagh has won over the past ten years. A man who never hogged the media. A legend and a gentleman.

Armamike · April 08, 2009, 11:50:06 PM

Time waits for no man unfortunately and time has caught up with Paul it seems. Pivotal to everything good about Armagh over the past 10 years, he was the model footballer. From around about 1999 Paul just got better and better each year. Bags of character and drive - the type of mentality that helped Armagh come out the right side of many's a tight game.

T O Hare · April 09, 2009, 01:11:20 AM

Really modest fella who is a fantastic role model, but what a player, the amount of clean ball he won for Armagh was unreal!!!! He will be a massive loss to Armagh!!!!! Though i suspect their wont be too many intercounty midfielders losing sleep over him retiring

David McKeown · April 09, 2009, 08:37:14 AM

Quote from: T O Hare on April 09, 2009, 01:11:20 AM
Really modest fella who is a fantastic role model, but what a player, the amount of clean ball he won for Armagh was unreal!!!! He will be a massive loss to Armagh!!!!! Though i suspect their wont be too many intercounty midfielders losing sleep over him retiring

Worried about the timing of a few of these retirements and or people leaving the panel, not wanting to stir anything as im just speculating but is it not very late in the day to be retiring.

That said Paul is a great footballer and a fine man and has more than earned the right to retire whenever he wants

full back · April 09, 2009, 08:41:20 AM

Great footballer
Big miss to Armagh

under the bar · April 09, 2009, 08:45:26 AM

From the outside looking in it is not a good reflection of Peter McDonnell's management. Retirements of 2 key players a month before the championship? Add to that the refusal of others to rejoin the panel.

full back · April 09, 2009, 08:53:00 AM

Quote from: under the bar on April 09, 2009, 08:45:26 AM
From the outside looking in it is not a good reflection of Peter McDonnell's management. Retirements of 2 key players a month before the championship? Add to that the refusal of others to rejoin the panel.

Was thinking that myself utb
Coincidence or something else happening

maddog · April 09, 2009, 09:00:20 AM

If every player gives what McGrane has given for the next 10 years we wont be long about challenging again for AI. If its true about Francie and McKeever then thats a shame as i think both had a another season in them. Both great servants to Armagh hope they go on enjoying the club football for many a season.
We are in a transitional period but the signs are good overall.
Some great memories from all 3 of them.

INDIANA · April 09, 2009, 09:07:17 AM

Quote from: under the bar on April 09, 2009, 08:45:26 AM
From the outside looking in it is not a good reflection of Peter McDonnell's management. Retirements of 2 key players a month before the championship? Add to that the refusal of others to rejoin the panel.

why? neither of them have anything left to prove. Mc Grane must be 36 and Francie has lost a half yard. Good decision by both in my view. They already have all-ireland medals.

rrhf · April 09, 2009, 09:20:17 AM

A class act. Absolutely pivotal to Armaghs decade of success.

T Fearon · April 09, 2009, 09:31:49 AM

Sad news indeed. How quickly the time has flown since 2002, seven years but it seems like it was only a few weeks ago

under the bar · April 09, 2009, 09:33:45 AM

Quotewhy? neither of them have anything left to prove. Mc Grane must be 36 and Francie has lost a half yard. Good decision by both in my view. They already have all-ireland medals.

They already had an AI medal 7 seasons ago. My point is McDonnell wanted several players to continue and doesnt get and answer until a few weeks before the championship start. There may be nothing in it but it's hard to say that it doesnt look bad, especially when he's in the paper last week saying he has no idea whether Francie would be playing or or not.

rionach 4 · April 09, 2009, 09:45:12 AM

Peter had known for a while that Francie and Paul weren't going to make it . Paddy had left a few weeks ago. He had hoped there would be some good news on paul's knee but when it didn't happen Peter decided to announce the three retirements at once which I think is a better strategy as to have announced francies three weeks ago Paddy's last week and Paul's this week as this would in my opinion have had a more detrimental effect on the players and team than the way it has occurred. If you add to this the other three members who have left the panel within this last few weeks it does sap morale a little. A few of these retirements were inevitable and I have always believed you should never postpone the inevitable you should confront it.

GrandMasterFlash · April 09, 2009, 09:50:11 AM

McGrane is a legend and a Gentleman. That point he scored against Dublin in the AISF (2002) will always stick in my mind. He was brilliant and as said was all things good about Armagh in the last decade. Unfortunate way to end by he was brilliant last year so he should not feel bad in any way!