Brian Dooher Retires

[men in black]

One of Tyrone's best ever players a true inspiration for the young guys coming through.[/glow]

+1

Mickey Harte tells a story about him as a minor, taking the school books on the team bus the weekend before an exam as he did not want to miss the build up to a championship match with the team.

[ONeill]

Brian came in for a lot of stick by Tyronnies in the early days of his inter-county career. His style wasn't really appreciated by many, especially when surrounded by a mediocre bunch as he was from 97-00. I can remember a punter at my wedding reception in 2002 telling anyone who cared to listen that he wasn't a footballer atall - a view shared by Com O'Rourke a year later.

Brian Dooher was a warrior on the field. He shipped some punishment, got up (eventually), just popped in a few more Duracell batteries and kicked the door down. I can vividly recall his humorous altercation with the late, great Eamon Coleman in the Ulster semi-final in 2001. It was then that Brian really came to national prominence. I think he scored a goal that day too.

From 2003-2008 he never stopped and pushed the boundaries within the squad. I've no doubt that without Brian Tyrone would not be sitting with 3 All-Irelands. People talk of the '08 point - his effort in the first half v Kerry in 2005 was a booming effort. The breaking ball maestro and captain will be sorely missed but leaves at the right time as we'd been slowly weaned off him this year. To match the effort the Jacks put in this year would have left the man demented. A great footballer, Colm.

[Rois]

I can't say much...but he made my life easier.

[squire_in_navy_slacks]

Great servant, great player, best of luck to him

[trileacman]

IMO he has been living off his opinion as a great vet for years! 

In all seriousness though an outstanding captain, the kind of leader you don't get that often. Lead not through fancy speeches but words and action, you never had had your work done until you had surpassed Brian. Shall enter the pantheon of great captains, like McGeeny, Jack O'Shea and Canty.

His leaving leaves a hole in the Tyrone mentality, who shall assume the mantle?

[BarryBreensBandage]

IMO he has been living off his opinion as a great vet for years! 

In all seriousness though an outstanding captain, the kind of leader you don't get that often. Lead not through fancy speeches but words and action, you never had had your work done until you had surpassed Brian. Shall enter the pantheon of great captains, like McGeeny, Jack O'Shea and Canty.

His leaving leaves a hole in the Tyrone mentality, who shall assume the mantle?

The Tyrone team of the last ten years had numerous outstanding players or produced some Single Great Moments, but, it seemed to me that when Dooher and Cavanagh were on form, Tyrone never lost.
If one of them had an off day or if one of them was injured, Tyrone seemed to struggle.
These two guys, for me, made the whole thing tick.

[ONeill]

IMO he has been living off his opinion as a great vet for years! 

In all seriousness though an outstanding captain, the kind of leader you don't get that often. Lead not through fancy speeches but words and action, you never had had your work done until you had surpassed Brian. Shall enter the pantheon of great captains, like McGeeny, Jack O'Shea and Canty.

His leaving leaves a hole in the Tyrone mentality, who shall assume the mantle?

The Tyrone team of the last ten years had numerous outstanding players or produced some Single Great Moments, but, it seemed to me that when Dooher and Cavanagh were on form, Tyrone never lost.
If one of them had an off day or if one of them was injured, Tyrone seemed to struggle.
These two guys, for me, made the whole thing tick.

That's a very good point. When Sean Cavanagh hangs her up..... I know we said that about Canavan but he was only a 30-min man for the last 2 years.

[Orangemac]

Outstanding servant for Tyrone who always emptied the tank for the team. The likes of Dooher and Gormley and Jordan when they decide to retire will be hard to replace when they go, regardless of how much underage talent is coming through as we found out in Armagh when he likes of McGrane,McGeeney and McConville left.

You only really appreciate how good they were when they are gone.

[5 Sams]

Top class player..one of the greats from Ulster..would Tyrone have won as many Sams without him??? Doubt it.

[Jinxy]

A fantastic player.
Scored some of the best points I've ever seen in Croke Park.

[comeontheredhands]

Retiring Tyrone captain Brian Dooher is to make a very generous donation to those most in need - he will present a medal from his impressive collection to Doire GAA

[loughshore lad]

Some servant to Tyrone, we will never see the likes of him again and his retirement marks another stage in the gradual break up of one of the greatest teams ever to play the game.

[moysider]

Great player. Did Colm O'Rourke ever ate that hat of his?

He should have been made to. And you know it was not only once that he picked on Dooher as an example why Tyrone would never win an AI. OK, O Rourke is usually not far from the mark. He does however let a few pet hates seep through and he does the brown nose with his neighbours which is very unbecoming. But it was with Dooher especially, and Tyrone in general, that O Rourke lost his gold status integrity as a football man. Any amount of fawning in later years could not make up for that car-crash punditry. FFS he dissed one great player - as it turns out, a player greater than he was. Not good.

[gerry]

great player and an ambassador for Tyrone and gaa.  remember him in dublin after the first game under lights  when he came into the pub with sam maguire and  i thought to my self fair fucks to you coming into a pub and giving up your time to listen to abuse from aloud of drunken people

[Jinxy]

Great player. Did Colm O'Rourke ever ate that hat of his?

He should have been made to. And you know it was not only once that he picked on Dooher as an example why Tyrone would never win an AI. OK, O Rourke is usually not far from the mark. He does however let a few pet hates seep through and he does the brown nose with his neighbours which is very unbecoming. But it was with Dooher especially, and Tyrone in general, that O Rourke lost his gold status integrity as a football man. Any amount of fawning in later years could not make up for that car-crash punditry. FFS he dissed one great player - as it turns out, a player greater than he was. Not good.

In fairness to Colm, for a number of years we in Meath only knew of Brian Dooher as the lad with all the bandages.
He got good after that though.