Dooher Calls Time On Inter County Career.

Friday 23.09.2011

Club

Tyrone captain Brian Dooher has announced today that he has ended his remarkable inter county football career after 16 seasons in the red and white of the O’Neill County.
The Clann na nGael man retires with three All Ireland senior medals, two of which were won as team captain, and six Ulster senior championship medals, more than any other Tyrone player in history. He was also a key figure in Tyrone’s two national league successes in 2002 and 2003.
Dooher began his senior inter-county career in 1996, three years after winning the Ulster minor title alongside Gerald Cavlan at midfield, and he made such an impact that in his very first Anglo-Celt Cup campaign he was awarded the Ulster Player of The Year award after starring in Tyrone’s retention of the provincial title.
Dooher’s all action style won him many admirers the length and breadth of Ireland, and his interpretation of the modern wing half forward role has been copied by many club and county managers over the years.
He made close on seventy senior championship appearances for his county, the most by any Tyrone player, the last of which was in the All Ireland quarter final defeat to eventual 2011 champions Dublin back in August.
After taking over the Tyrone captaincy in 2004 following the tragic death of Cormac McAnallen he went on to emulate Peter Canavan in 2005 by lifting the Sam Maguire Cup, and then three years later he became only the eighth player in history to receive the famous cup for a second time.
He was without doubt one of the most inspirational footballers to play the game and Tyrone supporters, in particular, will always have special memories of this man’s magnificent contribution to the GAA. One of the abiding memories will be the phenomenal point he scored from out on the right sideline against Kerry in the 2008 All-Ireland final.
The three times All-Star winner received numerous standing ovations from Tyrone supporters in his final years, such was the high esteem in which he was held.
Tyrone PRO Damian Harvey summed up today why Brian Dooher earned the total admiration of GAA followers during his playing career.
“It’s obvious to anyone that knows anything about Gaelic Football that Brian Dooher has been a wonderful servant to the Tyrone County Senior Football team since the early1990s,” said Damian. “Brian has been through many serious and career threatening injuries during that period of time, however he will go down in history as the first Tyrone man to captain us to two All-Ireland Senior Championships.
“The senior football team will miss his unrelenting drive and very special leadership qualities. He has been, and will continue to be, an inspiration to the current Tyrone panel of players and the many hundreds of club and underage players in the county. The Tyrone GAA family will remember him as someone who worked harder than anyone has ever worked to succeed in a Tyrone jersey.”
Tyrone county chairman Ciaran McLaughlin also expressed his appreciation of what Brian Dooher has given to the GAA in Tyrone. “Brian’s preparation and dedication to Tyrone football over the majority of the last two decades has been incredible. He was the heartbeat of the most successful Tyrone senior football team that we have ever had. He was, and I hope will continue to be, a brilliant ambassador for Tyrone GAA.”

On behalf of Tyrone, and indeed GAA, supporters everywhere, thanks for the wonderful memories Brian…