@Steven McDonnell tweets a retirement announcement!

[Armamike]

Super player and a pity we won't see him play again.   Very few Armagh players would have made it onto the Tyrone 03-05 team but McDonnell would be one that stands out.

Your right, very few. Probably just Geezer, McGrane, McConville, Clarke, Marsden, Stevie, and John McEntee would be the certs. That's 7, the rest would be tough calls

Best of luck stevie, really wish you could have gave it one more blast til august though!

Don't feed the troll!

[armaghniac]

Marsden - yes

Tyrone would be falling over themselves for Marsden.

[boojangles]

One of the best forwards I have ever seen. Epitomised everything great about the Armagh team of 99-2005. Will make a great coach/trainer in time Id say! Best of luck Stevie from Killeavy.

[Maguire01]

Great player. A lot of defenders will sleep easier tonight!

[Orchardman]

Geezer - yes
McGrane - bench at best
McConville - good free taker but why would Tyrone need him when they had Canavan?
Clarke - not between 03 & 05, later perhaps
Marsden - yes
Stevie - yes
John McEntee - another for the bench at best

That was a fair enough response, even though i don't agree with them all, so the only one i'l fall out with you over is the mighty Paul McGrane, tyrone have never had a midfielder like him! They made up for this though with an 8 man breaking ball midfield (micky harte said it himself), which worked well for them. As i'm going off topic i won't say anymore on this, maybe a thread armagh/tyrone 02-06 joint team would be a good idea some day

[thewobbler]

One of the most complete forwards the game has seen. You name it, he could do it. Good luck on retirement Stevie.

[Orchardman]

if the down 94 team play the armagh 02 team again this summer in the charity match then stevie and oisin will cause havoc

[The Iceman]

Sad to hear this one, however all great things must end. Many memories stick in the mind with Stevie, winning point in AIF, that day in the lightning v Limerick (think it was 3-4 he scored), that ball he caught over his shoulder v Donegal in the semi final in 2003 to score a brilliant goal. How much did Armagh ask of him over the years just humping hail mary balls in on top of him when we needed something and how often did he come up with the goods. A class act.
Good man stevie, enjoy the retirement.

That game in Dr Hyde Park, Roscommon v Limerick... I've never seen a performace like it. He was simply unplayable. I was absolutely soaked & the long wet journey home squeezed into the back seat of my uncles car was well worth it!!

Every year that passes after '02 I think how luck I was to be following Armagh during that generation of footballers.

Was at the game, never got soaked like it in my life Great performance, unstoppable that day.
Don't know how they played in those conditions. A car load of us stripped down to the shorts in the car and had trousers and shirts out the window to dry. Guards had a check point set up and gave us some look LOL

[ardchieftain]

Sad news but not unexpected. Stevie was without doubt one of the greatest forwards i've seen in the last 30 years. Legend

[Gaffer]

Great player, Glad he's not lining out against us in May.

[lawnseed]

just brilliant. not many stevies about unfortunately. strength of character, physically strong, and above all a sportsman.

don't know what role he could play in armagh football because you just cant pass on that type of skill...

live long and prosper..

[StGallsGAA]

Does this say anything about the current set up? Would have thought Stevie had a year or two at county level yet?

[rrhf]

I'll always admire the way he took on the naysayers when o rourke was appointed.  Reminded the players they were playing for Armagh.

[DuffleKing]

Dangerous ground there if you don't want the thread off on a tangent...

[David McKeown]

Does this say anything about the current set up? Would have thought Stevie had a year or two at county level yet?

I thought it might initially but looking back, I remember reading he had a great friendship with POR and credited him as being a major reason McDonnell was enjoying his football again. That said I still harbour some hope we might see McDonnell with the right manager appointed