Kieran Donaghy has lauded former Kerry team mate James O’Donoghue as “a class act” after the latter’s decision to retire.

O’Donoghue confirmed his inter-county playing days were over on Off The Ball yesterday, describing the decision as “a painful one” but also said “it’s the right thing”.

The Killarney Legion attacker was named Footballer of the Year in 2014, helping the Kingdom to the Sam Maguire Cup that year and he’d also win eight Munster SFC titles, a National League and two All-Star awards.

Speaking to RTÉ's Game On programme, Donaghy hailed O’Donoghue as a great servant for Kerry.

"A quick shout-out to my old sparring partner who has hung up the boots... a class act," he said of O'Donoghue.

"A gas man on and off the pitch and will be missed and was a great servant. People remember his Footballer of the Year, people will remember his All-Stars and his goals but for me (it's) how he tried to work through the injuries with the shoulders, the surgeries he went through, the rehab he put in and the size and bulk he put on to take those shoulders.

"Look, he was very unlucky with injury and it really hampered the latter end of his career. But he exploded onto the scene and was such a great player for so long for us."

This guy was special. When he got the ball one on one he electrified the stadium. We were lucky enough to witness that nightly in training. Thank you James. pic.twitter.com/fQY71b0oC0

— Éamonn Fitzmaurice (@efitz6) January 25, 2022

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