Kilmainham’s Mickey Newman tonight announced his retirement from inter county football. The languid, accurate forward previously stepped away in 2020 in an effort to recover from a succession of injuries which blighted his career but returned to the fold last season.
Very similar to Brian Stafford in style of play and place-kicking, Newman was part of the Meath team that won the Leinster MFC in 2008, though it wasn’t until six years thereafter he made his bow at senior level.
In between, he was a prolific scorer with NUI Maynooth in the Sigerson Cup and when he did get the call at the highest level he quickly hit 1-27 in his first Championship season and was nominated for an All Star.
At club level, the gifted attacker drove the red and blacks – one of the smallest units in the county – to Junior Football Championship glory and most recently was to the forefront in their battle to avoid ending up back there.
While not the biggest surprise given the injuries which have plagued his career, Newman’s departure does present an interesting aside as to who will be Meath’s right-footed free taker going forward. In Jordan Morris they have a reliable striker on the other side.
With Dunboyne’s Donal Lenihan stepping away last season, Tomas O’Reilly from county champions Wolfe Tones took on the role. Shane Walsh (Na Fianna) would be another option if/when he returns, as would Dunshaughlin sharpshooter Luke Mitchell and Trim’s Aaron Lynch. If the latter pair were called up.
For now though, I’m surely not alone in just longing to see a team back out on a pitch. Next Wednesday can’t come fast enough!
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