Munster’s Micko to retire at end of season

Mick Galwey last night paid a glowing tribute to Munster’s Mick O’Driscoll whose retirement after 15 years as one of the country’s most consistent second-row forwards will be announced in Limerick today.

There is a remarkable symmetry between the two men. They share the same birthday, October 8,although Galwey at 45 is the older by 12 years. O’Driscoll made his Munster debut against Leinster as Galwey’s second-row partner at Dooradoyle in August 1998. And it was Galwey who made way when O’Driscoll won his first cap for Ireland as a replacement against Romania in Bucharest in 2001.

“Micko has always been a great bit of stuff,” said Galwey last night. “He was just what we needed when he came on the scene because he was a terrific lineout jumper at number four whereas I wasn’t really cut out for that job. He was only 20 or so at the time and so was very young but John Langford arrived from Australia and he learned an awful lot from him, as we all did.

“Micko’s contribution to Munster has been absolutely huge. With Donncha O’Callaghan and Paul O’Connell also coming along, he wasn’t always first choice but he was there when he was needed and never let the side down. He was frequently made captain when the rest of us might have been away with Ireland and always did a tremendous job. He had everyone’s respect as he had been there and done it all through the good days and not so good. Needless to say, he’ll be badly missed.”

O’Driscoll has been a central figure in the Munster and Ireland game since his earliest days at Presentation Brothers, Cork (PBC), and during an outstanding career represented Ireland 23 times and as recently as last month made his 200th appearance in the provincial jersey even though he spent two seasons at the height of his powers with French club Perpignan.

After enjoying a distinguished schools career at Pres, Micko played his early club rugby with UCC before moving to Cork Constitution. Ideally built for a second-row forward at 6ft 5ins and 17st, he turned in some magnificent performances for Munster, most especially against New Zealand at the opening game of the new Thomond Park stadium in November 2009. Even though the team was shorn of its international players, O’Driscoll set an amazing and exemplary example. Not only did he contribute handsomely on a personal level, but the manner in which he helped less experienced colleagues earned him universal respect.

There were many other great occasions for him to savour, most notably being a member of the Munster teams that won the Heineken Cup in 2006 and ’08 and he was also part of the ’09 Irish squad that completed a first Six Nations Grand Slam in 61 years. He would have gained even more honours had his career not run parallel to some of the best second-row forwards this country has produced.

As a consequence, Micko frequently had to settle for a replacement role and this was part reason for him moving to Perpignan, with whom he made seven appearances in Europe between 2003 to ’05. Munster were delighted to welcome him home and he has been a mighty figure in a series of successful Munster and Irish teams. The regard in which he was held by his fellow players and the supporters was amply demonstrated when he was voted Munster player of the year in ’09.

It is understood he received offers from other clubs to continue playing for another year or two but preferred to finish his career with Munster.