Injury forces Miskella to call time on career

CORK footballer John Miskella has retired from inter-county and club football, it emerged yesterday.

The defender, who is 33, is calling it a day due to medical advice.

“I’ve retired from both club and county football,” he said last night.

“It’s injury-related in that I have a groin injury that isn’t improving. I was keen to give it another go with Cork next year but I’ve been told I’m better off retiring.

“It’s very disappointing, particularly as I didn’t get to make the final call myself about retiring, the decision was made for me. What’s worse is that I wanted to knock a few years out of the club and that’s gone as well.”

Miskella pointed to the 2010 All-Ireland win as a career highlight.

“I’d been there since 1999, so that was great, to win an All-Ireland medal,” said the Ballincollig clubman. “I think you probably appreciate it that bit more when it comes later in your career.

“And at that stage I’d lost a couple of All-Ireland finals as well.

“In terms of disappointment the 2009 final was the worst, we had played very well all that year and not to end up with the big prize was a low point.”

Miskella, 33, paid tribute to his wife Claire for her support: “I’ve got two kids so it’s not as if I won’t have things to do, but I wouldn’t have been able to play inter-county football at all without her backing.

“I’m in the Guards so I have only one weekend a month off with shiftwork as it is, and that was often taken up with football. It’s going to be a big adjustment to me not to be playing because you give so much time to football, but it’s not as if I’m only 26 and have to give it up. I’m sure I’ll have plenty to do with Danny and Joe, my kids, instead.”