DUBLIN’S 2010 All-Ireland winning goalkeeper Cliodhna O’Connor has announced her retirement from intercounty football. The 31-year-old was a member of the Dublin team since 2002 and played in five All-Ireland senior finals – winning one against Tyrone in 2010.
Two-time Allstar O’Connor also played against Galway in 2003, Mayo a year later and in both final defeats to Cork in 2009 and 2014. The Naomh Mearnóg player, who was named on the TG4 team of the decade from 2000-2010, has also confirmed that she will cease playing activities at club level.
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O’Connor hadn’t featured for Dublin during this year’s Tesco National League campaign and has informed manager Gregory McGonigle that she is calling time on her Sky Blue career. O’Connor admitted: “I don’t miss it. I took a break at the start of last year for most of the League and I was humming and hawing a bit about coming back.
But a lot of my crew and my batch of friends were giving it one last shot. I’d taken a break so it was a shorter season. I was back for the League final (against Cork) and with Hannah Tyrrell, who had been number one, gone to rugby, Gregory was even more open to me coming back. Last year was one last crack at it.”
O’Connor has cited personal and work commitments as the reason behind her decision.
She has also taken up rowing at novice level and works at the National Athlete Development Academy in the capital, run by Martin Kennedy, the current strength and conditioning coach with the Dublin men’s senior footballers.
Cliodhna O'Connor works with Martin Kennedy (right) at the National Athlete Development Academy (NADA) Dan Sheridan / INPHO
Dan Sheridan / INPHO / INPHO
O’Connor follows 2010 All-Ireland winning captain Denise Masterson into retirement and manager McGonigle is still unsure about the availability of ace forward Sinead Aherne and Siobhán McGrath, who are both out of the country, ahead of the summer.
Another experienced campaigner, Lindsay Peat, is also undecided about her intercounty future at the present time.
Dublin's 2010 All-Ireland winning goalkeeper has announced her retirement
DUBLIN’S 2010 All-Ireland winning goalkeeper Cliodhna O’Connor has announced her retirement from intercounty football. The 31-year-old was a member of the Dublin team since 2002 and played in five All-Ireland senior finals – winning one against Tyrone in 2010.
Two-time Allstar O’Connor also played against Galway in 2003, Mayo a year later and in both final defeats to Cork in 2009 and 2014. The Naomh Mearnóg player, who was named on the TG4 team of the decade from 2000-2010, has also confirmed that she will cease playing activities at club level.
O’Connor hadn’t featured for Dublin during this year’s Tesco National League campaign and has informed manager Gregory McGonigle that she is calling time on her Sky Blue career. O’Connor admitted: “I don’t miss it. I took a break at the start of last year for most of the League and I was humming and hawing a bit about coming back.
O’Connor has cited personal and work commitments as the reason behind her decision.
She has also taken up rowing at novice level and works at the National Athlete Development Academy in the capital, run by Martin Kennedy, the current strength and conditioning coach with the Dublin men’s senior footballers.
O’Connor follows 2010 All-Ireland winning captain Denise Masterson into retirement and manager McGonigle is still unsure about the availability of ace forward Sinead Aherne and Siobhán McGrath, who are both out of the country, ahead of the summer.
Another experienced campaigner, Lindsay Peat, is also undecided about her intercounty future at the present time.
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Calling Time Cliodhna O'Connor Dublin Ladies Football Gregory McGonigle Martin Kennedy NADA Naomh Mearnóg TG4 All Ireland Ladies SFC