Tributes pour in as Kerry football loses another stalwart to retirement

As soon as he signed on for Dancing With the Stars we should have known the jig was up.

You don't appear on national television in pants this tight and then stroll back into the Kerry dressingroom like nothing has happened. https://twitter.com/GmailMahony/status/823296719282720769 And so it has not come as a great surprise to hear that Aidan O'Mahony has retired from intercounty football. The Rathmore clubman retires with five All-Irelands and 10 Munster titles - not a bad haul, even in the Kingdom. Renowned as one of the toughest tacklers around, after the Ó Sé brothers, Declan O'Sullivan and Paul Galvin he is another link lost to the great Kerry team of the last decade. As is the way of things nowadays, he released a statement.

"Today I would like to announce my retirement. I feel the time is now appropriate for me to step away from the Kerry team. "It’s been an absolute honour for me to wear the green and gold jersey for Kerry for the past 14 years at senior level and I leave having great respect for all the talented players I have shared my footballing career with. I am extremely grateful for all the support my teammates gave me down through the years and I have made friendships for life. "I have been incredibly fortunate to represent my Club (Rathmore), County, Province and Country over the years. It was an honour to share the dressing room with such brilliant players throughout the last 14 years with Kerry. I have utmost respect for every player whom I have played against as we all put on our county colours with a common goal in mind. "I would like to thank the managers whom I have trained under with Kerry from Minor and Under 21 to Senior level. I will be forever appreciative for the belief you have all shown in me. Thanks to the Kerry supporters who travel far and wide every year for both League and Championship. "I would like to thank An Garda Sióchana for their consistent support in facilitating my involvement with the Kerry team. "Finally, I would like to thank my family for their encouragement and ongoing support over the years. "Today is the beginning of something new!!!"

The tributes were quick to come. https://twitter.com/SeanTheBawn/status/823471868208365568 https://twitter.com/brosnaneoin/status/823472785859158017 https://twitter.com/Gavoconnor/status/823477487099375616 https://twitter.com/finianmoran/status/823477440857174016 The man has played on a broken leg and mixed it with some of the best forwards of the modern era, but for us, his greatest moment occurred during the course of his day job. He once caught a chair thrown at a witness in court. Tough bastard, Aidan O'Mahony. Not a bad dancer either.