Philly McMahon has no plans to hang up his inter-county boots.

The experienced Ballymun Kickhams defender lost his place in the Dublin team as they closed in on the five-in-a-row last month, but has vowed to return in 2020 when he will seek to win a record-equalling eighth All-Ireland medal.

“That’s the mad thing about GAA, the public nearly get rid of you before you want to go yourself,” he said in an interview with the Irish News.

“There’s a lot of variables that will result in you retiring. Game-time. Does the manager see you as part of their team? Do you add anything or are you just holding up a jersey? Have you done enough or is it time to pass it on to the next young person coming through because that’s all we’re doing, we’re only minding the jersey?

“That’s hard to accept because you’ve given so much to it and you love it so much and you love the whole environment but it’s inevitable, that’s the way it goes. Denis Bastick said it really well: ‘Time doesn’t wait for you’.

“Considering that for the two years before it I was in a bad place (his father was battling cancer during that time) but I was playing every game, this year for me was: ‘Just go for it’. But I broke my hand in pre-season so I didn’t play any of the league and I struggled to get going all season."

McMahon added: "Next year is a new year, I’ll have to get myself in shape pre-season and that will give me an indication of how serious I am going into the season.”

Tweet

Most Read Stories