Ciaran Whelan Retires.

Bud Wiser · August 06, 2009, 05:10:39 PM

Seems according to this evenings Herald that Ciaran Whelan has retired. Appears that on a program on one of the Dublins wireless stations he said that at his age he needed match practice and because he wasn't getting games it was difficult for him to be up to speed when brought on as a sub after sitting on the bench for so long, which translated means that he was entitled to his midfield position and the management were wrong as far as I can determine. Anyway, good luck to the lad even though he played Laois out of two Leinster Finals.
http://www.setanta.com/uk/Articles/other-sports/2009/08/06/Whelan-drops-retirement-hint/gnid-58236/

Can anyone list the names of players that have retired this year already?

Ciaran Whelan.
Mike Frank Russell
Collie Moran.

Barney · August 06, 2009, 05:17:02 PM

Should the thread not be "Whelo Gives Dublin Football the Elbow"

In fairness he seems like a decent fella - he put his hands up over the Omagh row and came across very well on Newstalk last night.

ross4life · August 06, 2009, 05:20:38 PM

you need to drop the E

Frankie Dolan, Francie Grehan, S. Lohan, G. Lohan, Shane Curran Nigel Dineen, all finally retired this year after discovering they are no long wanted

magpie seanie · August 06, 2009, 05:22:07 PM

A very talented and dedicated footballer who for some reason never seemed to consistently achieve the excellence he often threatened. The few transgressions he got away with over the year will be seized on by some but not too many that operate in the engine room adhere completely to the rule book at all times. If he wasn't a Dub there'd be less made of it.

JMohan · August 06, 2009, 05:28:40 PM

Didn't Eoin Brosnan retire too?

JMohan · August 06, 2009, 05:29:00 PM

Paddy Bradley

Zapatista · August 06, 2009, 05:32:29 PM

I'll wait untill he retires before I have someting to say about his retirement.

Main Street · August 06, 2009, 05:34:00 PM

I think many would agree that he was well worth his place in the Dub team and it was a bizarre decision to bench him then throw him in to the heat of battle in the middle of the first half when everything had already disintegrated, against a fired up Kerry.
One of the more insane championship preparation decisions made by the Dublin mentor.

armaghniac · August 06, 2009, 05:34:25 PM

I'll always remember Whelan's storming goal against Armagh in the 2002 AI SF, this was a proper response to Armagh's goal in a cracker of a game.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zdIZBoOQwnQ

INDIANA · August 06, 2009, 06:01:02 PM

A fine servant and a terriific player. Played on the edge and over stepped the mark at times but over 15 years at senior inter county level show me player who didn't. Can't replace him and he wasn't treated well this year in my view. A nice fella as well- never had an ego problem- which unfortunately I couldn't say for other dublin players who wouldn't have a hapenny of his talent.

As for other retirements- I would say- Sherlock, Keaney and Shane Ryan will follow. There will be others as well.

rrhf · August 06, 2009, 06:05:09 PM

He fought the dubs corner more than most and was a stalwart for 13 years. Its always sad when guys like this retire without an ai medal and the dream has died for them. Yes he threw a few punches and kicked a few, so what, so does dara - so do all the big guys and the game needs their badness too - gives us something to talk about. He was passionate and inspirational and probably deserved an ai final appearrance - if anything his drifting in and out of games was his weakness. He needed a "proper donkey" alongside him to compliment his own game. I thought he could have done 14 in the last year or 2.

Gnevin · August 06, 2009, 06:32:12 PM

Quote from: INDIANA on August 06, 2009, 06:01:02 PM
A fine servant and a terriific player. Played on the edge and over stepped the mark at times but over 15 years at senior inter county level show me player who didn't. Can't replace him and he wasn't treated well this year in my view. A nice fella as well- never had an ego problem- which unfortunately I couldn't say for other dublin players who wouldn't have a hapenny of his talent.

As for other retirements- I would say- Sherlock, Keaney and Shane Ryan will follow. There will be others as well.

Why Ryan. He isn't that old and surely the management will see the error of there ways.

fred the red · August 06, 2009, 06:55:16 PM

Sean McGreavey

paddypastit · August 06, 2009, 07:37:45 PM

Quote from: rrhf on August 06, 2009, 06:05:09 PM
He fought the dubs corner more than most and was a stalwart for 13 years. Its always sad when guys like this retire without an ai medal and the dream has died for them. Yes he threw a few punches and kicked a few, so what, so does dara - so do all the big guys and the game needs their badness too - gives us something to talk about. He was passionate and inspirational and probably deserved an ai final appearrance - if anything his drifting in and out of games was his weakness. He needed a "proper donkey" alongside him to compliment his own game. I thought he could have done 14 in the last year or 2.

Agree completely with that... but wasn't Ryan his 'donkey' as you so delicately put it. I always thought that the whole of that pair was greater than the sum of the parts.

Gnevin - think Ryan is 30; Keaney is about 26 / 27. If I was Anthony Daly I'd already have made the call "look lads, ye're great hurlers and it was always yer first love but it was going nowhere at the time. The football is going nowhere has to start again now but the hurling is on a journey already and fellas like ye with the big game experience could really make a huige differ - will ye's come in"

down6061689194 · August 06, 2009, 07:42:06 PM

Seemed a bit of craic. His advice to youngsters was "always were a trackie to training, that way you won't end up in a club afterwards!"