Niall McNamee Retires

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azoffaly
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Niall McNamee Retires

Post by azoffaly »

Obviously overshadowed by Sean Cavanagh's announcement, Niall McNamee has just announced his retirement a few minutes ago. I remember his debut in Portlaoise in 2003, aged just 17. He turned into, in my opinion, one of the best forwards in the country at a time when Offaly couldn't keep the ball kicked into him. He could win 50 50 ball, high and low. He could score and he could work. Best of luck to him in his retirement, and thanks a million to him for all the hard yards he put in with Offaly.


"niallmc14Only seems like yesterday that I made my debut. It's been a huge honour to represent and captain my county. The time has now come to step away. I want to say a huge thank you to all of my team mates that I've been lucky to take the field with down through the years. Thank you to all the managers who showed faith in me. I've been extremely lucky to fulfil a lot of my childhood dreams and it is truly with a heavy heart that I call it a day. A massive thank you to all the faithful supporters for your support throughout the years both on and off the field. Finally a big thank you to my parents, brothers and sister and my girlfriend for always being there in the good days and the not so good days. I couldn't have done it without you all. @gaelicplayers thank you also for the huge part you guys have played in supporting my off field career. I'm really looking forward to supporting the boys next year and beyond and I pray that the glory days return to Offaly in the not too distant future
Shane Gavin. Signed out of respect for players and all involved with Offaly.

biffinbanner
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Re: Niall McNamee Retires

Post by biffinbanner »

a legend .he carried us for 12 years at least..in the top 3 forwards i seen wearing an offaly jersey with matt and tony mctague.. best of luck niall and im sure you will be terrorising club back lines in offaly for a few years yet!!

Phoenix
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Re: Niall McNamee Retires

Post by Phoenix »

Niall McNamee has been a treat to watch throughout his playing career for Offaly - ever since that debut in Portlaoise against Laois! Lots of moments that will live in the memory - both in the Rhode jersey and in the Offaly jersey. Niall doesn't do many scruffy scores - all his scores and assists win style points. It was good to see him score one of his distinctive points against Cavan. Let's hope that his club career goes on for a while yet - he's always worth the price of admission.

Phoenix
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Re: Niall McNamee Retires

Post by Phoenix »

Some of Niall McNamee's best performances for Offaly were in low-profile league games. I'll always remember him taking over a game against Clare in the last 5 minutes in O'Connor Park - Offaly came back to win from a poor position. Another time when flashes of class helped Offaly rescue a draw on a misty small-town pitch in Leitrim. Just a few examples of his importance to Offaly. It mightn't have been big box office for Niall to play well in Askeaton or Carlow but it made the trip home for the fans a bit easier.

Then again there were some great championship performances. In the summer of 2006 McNamee and Deehan terrorized defences in Leinster. That was a richly deserved All Star nomination. Great days to look back on.

kaiserchief
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Re: Niall McNamee Retires

Post by kaiserchief »

What a servent to Offaly football.. Just a pity he has little or no silverware for his contributions..

Can be added the list of one of the best not to win an All Ireland.

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The Magpie
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Re: Niall McNamee Retires

Post by The Magpie »

I haven't posted here in a while for a number of reasons, but Niall McNamee deserves the respect of a short message.

An exceptional forward who was good enough to make any of the finest Offaly Football teams - for sure, in another generation, he would be a Winner of Leinster, All-Ireland medals and All-Star awards.

Physically imposing, capable of winning his own ball, a lightening jink & burst of pace and the most stylish of score-taking.

It's not often that a County performing in the lower divisions produces a footballer with real profile - the kind of profile that see's players being double-teamed at Inter-County level, the kind of profile that see's journalists singling a guy out in every game, but most importantly, the kind of profile that can only be earned.

Good luck to Niall McNamee. I'll hold back on writing a testimonial until he calls it a day with Rhode - who knows what more there could be to write.
The Dog chases the Car....the Car stops....the Dog can't Drive!

DAF
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Re: Niall McNamee Retires

Post by DAF »

A great player.

Wonderfully stylish footballer, brilliant fielder of the ball, great at setting up team mates and of course was a great scorer for us.

Sadly due to us being so poor during most of his career he never got to fulfill his potential and the weight of carrying the team seem to really drag him down and in his later years I felt you could really see this frustration when he was playing.

He'd have got on every other team in the country at his peak.

We really wasted him so many games you were begging for them to put the ball in direct to him as he as great at winning his own ball and yet we'd rarely do it.

McNamee is one of these sad GAA stories where great players don't get to fully fulfill there ability due to the county and time they were born in, just the way it is in the GAA of course but it's such a pity we didn't have better players around him during his time with Offaly.If he'd have been 10 years older who knows what we would have won with him.

SearingDrive
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Re: Niall McNamee Retires

Post by SearingDrive »

I would like to thank Niall McNamee for his service to Offaly in a barren time for the Faithful County. His ability and talent were evident wearing the Offaly jersey. Most of Niall's performances were in the lower divisions of the league, travelling to Leitrim, Limerick, Antrim, and similar counties.
The 2006 Leinster championship performances earned a deserved All Star nomination
If he had played for a more successful county I have no doubt that he would by now have provincial medals at least, and maybe a Celtic Cross or two.

Niall dealt with his demons honestly, and is an advocate for players dealing with similar problems. He is a modest well grounded individual, as is evident from his retirement statement.

So thanks again Niall, and good luck in the county championships.

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