4 Ulster titles.
3 All-Irelands.
2 National Leagues.
1 silenced Hill 16.
Owen Mulligan, ladies and gentlemen.
The man who slayed the Dubs. Twice. One half of the legendary Master and Pupil combo with Peter Canavan. A free spirit, a fearless footballer, a winner.
The Cookstown native has transferred to London GAA club, Fulham Irish, for the 2017 season and people are beginning to whisper.
Having led Tyrone to the holy grail in 2003, in 2005 and again in 2008, Mulligan hung up the inter-county boots back in 2012 but carried on plying his trade on the club scene where the 2011 London champions will be the latest beneficiaries of his wizardry.
‘Mugsy’ is said to be moving to the English capital for work and, as audacious as it might seem, as five years too late as you might think it, some tongues are starting to wag that, if he impressed for Fulham Irish – which he will – does he make the step up?
In 2016, London lost to Mayo before bowing out of the qualifiers in the first round to Offaly. Their forward line that day consisted of the following six:
Colin Dunne
Cathal Óg Greene
Liam Gavaghan
Adrian Moyles
Patrick O’Hara
Scott Conroy
Listen, Mulligan is probably enjoying his retirement.
Belfast bombers were good at the time. Feeling it now in the gym. #sweatingbuckets
— Owen Mulligan (@owen_mulligan) December 28, 2016
He’s probably loving the free time and he probably has no interest in training like an inter-county player again or even just representing London.
But, sometimes, the biggest burden for talented footballers is that they’re not always allowed to just live in peace and solitude. These guys impress, these guys are demanded and expected. That’s the game.
He won’t make it on time for the trip to Waterford this weekend. But maybe, just maybe, Mulligan might fancy his chances come May 28 when Leitrim come to Ruislip for the first round of the Connacht championship.
Or maybe he’ll just play a bit of club ball for the craic when he’s in London and continue to look back and smile at the three All-Ireland and All-Star award he picked up along a journey he’s already finished.
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