We had Seamie Moynihan retiring a few weeks back at 38 - but Maurice Fitz keeps going winning another medal at 42 years of age in the South Kerry final today.
FORMER Kerry great Maurice Fitzgerald will line out for his club St Mary's in the South Kerry senior football final this afternoon, intent on ending his comeback year in memorable style.
The 42-year-old former All-Ireland-winning Kerry star is expected to start in midfield in the district final against Declan O'Sullivan's Dromid Pearses at Waterville (1.30), alongside Kerry All Star footballer Bryan Sheehan.
Victory in the decider would cap a fantastic comeback for Fitzgerald, who had taken a year out last season -- a campaign that saw St Mary's win the Kerry, Munster and All-Ireland junior club titles.
But returning to club action in the South Kerry junior championship this season, the former Kingdom ace soon stepped back into the senior set-up, rolling back the years with a power-packed performance in St Mary's semi-final win over St Michaels/Foilmore.
Best remembered for his 1997 All-Ireland final performance against Mayo and his legendary sideline point against Dublin in Thurles back in 2001, Fitzgerald can add yet another medal to a glittering collection today, with St Mary's favourites to complete the three-in-a-row.
The last time Fitzgerald played in a South Kerry final, he produced a man-of-the-match display against Skellig Rangers in 2009.
Highlighting Fitzgerald's longevity is the fact that fellow Kerry football great Seamus Moynihan played his last club game for Glenflesk last Sunday, aged 38.
Fitzpatrick is Murtagh fan
LOUTH football manager Peter Fitzpatrick says ace forward John Murtagh would be "an asset" to the Wee County if he decides to transfer from Armagh.
Fitzpatrick was commenting on reports linking the former Crossmaglen stalwart with a move from the Orchard County.
Murtagh, who joined Dublin club Parnells from Crossmaglen earlier this year, was born in Louth and so he would be eligible to line out with Fitzpatrick's team.
The move would almost certainly be an attractive proposition for Murtagh as Armagh boss Paddy O'Rourke has told the player he could not guarantee him a starting place.
"He's a very fine footballer who would be an asset to any inter-county side, and we certainly would welcome him to our set-up," Fitzpatrick said.
- Kieran McCarthy
Unreal talent in that county I started a thread a few days ago about the Pony retiring at 38...Orangeman has just started another one about Mo Fitz at 42 winning a Sth Kerry Championship...them fckers don't know when to die. Two lads who played in the Kerry "wilderness years" and they are rightly recognised as to of the best players that ever donned boots. Is Maurice the best ever Kerry forward???? Just asking...he wouldnt be far away.
Quote from: 5 Sams on December 24, 2011, 09:17:00 PM
Unreal talent in that county I started a thread a few days ago about the Pony retiring at 38...Orangeman has just started another one about Mo Fitz at 42 winning a Sth Kerry Championship...them fckers don't know when to die. Two lads who played in the Kerry "wilderness years" and they are rightly recognised as to of the best players that ever donned boots. Is Maurice the best ever Kerry forward???? Just asking...he wouldnt be far away.
Here's my order, for what it's worth:
1 Colm Cooper
2 Mike Sheehy
3 Maurice Fitzgerald
Trim that article, Murtagh should not be getting mentioned in the same article. :(
Quote from: Ball Hopper on December 24, 2011, 10:50:15 PM
1 Colm Cooper
2 Mike Sheehy
3 Maurice Fitzgerald
Hell no, Cooper is a fantastic footballer, but he has a few years to go before he can get in that pantheon...
Its an awful shame Fizgerald didn't play another couple of years at senior level, what a superb player he was/is.
What a man...he wasnt at corner forward just making up the numbers either..just pipped for MoM by Declan Sullivan who got 6pts. Here is looking as fit and effective as he ever did.
http://www.sportsfile.com/id/583869/ (http://www.sportsfile.com/id/583869/)
Debates will always rage in Kerry and wherever the sport we love is played about the greatest ever, but he is the most naturally gifted footballer I've seen in 40 odd years of watching the sport. I may be biased but I truly believe that.
Quote from: heganboy on December 25, 2011, 05:15:45 AM
Quote from: Ball Hopper on December 24, 2011, 10:50:15 PM
1 Colm Cooper
2 Mike Sheehy
3 Maurice Fitzgerald
Hell no, Cooper is a fantastic footballer, but he has a few years to go before he can get in that pantheon...
Cooper's exceeded both.
Quote from: Syferus on December 25, 2011, 11:46:32 PM
Quote from: heganboy on December 25, 2011, 05:15:45 AM
Quote from: Ball Hopper on December 24, 2011, 10:50:15 PM
1 Colm Cooper
2 Mike Sheehy
3 Maurice Fitzgerald
Hell no, Cooper is a fantastic footballer, but he has a few years to go before he can get in that pantheon...
Cooper's exceeded both.
Agreed with Heganboy...anyone who thinks Gooch is better than Mo Fitz is a garsun (or a gasson in Armagh spake)
Quote from: 5 Sams on December 26, 2011, 01:44:56 AM
Quote from: Syferus on December 25, 2011, 11:46:32 PM
Quote from: heganboy on December 25, 2011, 05:15:45 AM
Quote from: Ball Hopper on December 24, 2011, 10:50:15 PM
1 Colm Cooper
2 Mike Sheehy
3 Maurice Fitzgerald
Hell no, Cooper is a fantastic footballer, but he has a few years to go before he can get in that pantheon...
Cooper's exceeded both.
Agreed with Heganboy...anyone who thinks Gooch is better than Mo Fitz is a garsun (or a gasson in Armagh spake)
Simple question here...who would be the hardest to mark?
My answer: Cooper by a mile.
Quote from: Ball Hopper on December 27, 2011, 09:06:54 AM
Quote from: 5 Sams on December 26, 2011, 01:44:56 AM
Quote from: Syferus on December 25, 2011, 11:46:32 PM
Quote from: heganboy on December 25, 2011, 05:15:45 AM
Quote from: Ball Hopper on December 24, 2011, 10:50:15 PM
1 Colm Cooper
2 Mike Sheehy
3 Maurice Fitzgerald
When did Cooper ever play in abad team
Hell no, Cooper is a fantastic footballer, but he has a few years to go before he can get in that pantheon...
Cooper's exceeded both.
Agreed with Heganboy...anyone who thinks Gooch is better than Mo Fitz is a garsun (or a gasson in Armagh spake)
Simple question here...who would be the hardest to mark?
My answer: Cooper by a mile.
But when did Cooper ever play in a bad team? Impossible to mark a great forward if he's getting the ball basically handed to him in dangerous areas, usually in a game his team is dominating. Not old enough myself to say for sure but same might apply to Sheehy?
People who've seen more of them might be able to comment on their performance in tight or losing games?
And on the original topic fair play to Fitzgerald, he must really look after himself. Must be damn sore after it though.
what a player,won AL in 97 basically on his own and much to paidi,s annoyance he needed him in 2000 to get them over the line.He was unlucky to play with kerry in a lean period but still always stood out and if he played in this current kerry team or the one in the seventies /early eighties he would be miles ahead of the other greats
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Agree, a lot of people say that Peter Canavan pretty much carried the 1995 Tyrone team, Fitzgerald was pretty much the same in 1997 for Kerry. Were it not for some pettiness, his inter-county career could have went on for another decade on top of that.
[/quote]
Some great scores from him through the years. Would be on any starting 15 of greats for sure. I suppose that sideline kick against the Dubs was his finest score. Fade over the black dot after starting it outside the left post.
Great that he still has the urge to play the game.