Scanlon ends Kerry career

HE was described as “a very hard bas***d” last night by his Kerry colleague Paul Galvin, but one of the toughest calls Seamus Scanlon had to make was the weekend decision to walk away from inter-county football at 30.

The three-time All-Ireland winner had an aversion to publicity but not hard work. Only those who toiled in football’s engine room with him would have a true appreciation of what the Currow man brought to the table.

“You tangled with him at your own risk, he took no sh*t” Galvin tweeted yesterday after Scanlon confirmed he was retiring from the inter-county game. Though he wouldn’t admit it, he had grown weary and frustrated at playing second fiddle behind Bryan Sheehan and Anthony Maher with Kerry. With Johnny Buckley and David Moran waiting in the wings, the prospects for 2013 weren’t that encouraging either.

Scanlon spent a decade playing senior football with the Kingdom, the highlight being 2009, when he pocketed an All Star along with his third All-Ireland medal. A prodigious worker, Scanlon’s best displays for Kerry came in that campaign, when he dovetailed superbly with Darragh Ó Sé.

Kerry GAA chairman Patrick O’Sullivan expressed his gratitude to Scanlon while ex Kingdom coach Jack O’Connor added: “He was a great servant to Kerry, a very honest player who worked hard for the team and was fearless on the field.

His Kerry colleague weighed in with their own tributes on social media outlets. On Twitter, Darran O’Sullivan commented: “Gutted to hear about Seamus Scanlon retiring. He was one of the best, didn’t get the credit he deserved.”

Scanlon’s occasional midfield partner, Mike Quirke said: “Seamus was always most appreciated by his own team-mates in Kerry. He was as hard working on the field as he was serious craic off it.”

Meanwhile, Sunday Kerry county finalists, Dr Crokes and Dingle, will also square off in the Kerry SFL decider after finishing joint top of Division One with 18 points.

Crokes, even without a number of regulars hammered a depleted St Michael’s/Foilmore side 5-15 to 0-7 with Gavin O’Shea, Keith O’Leary and Jamie Doolan among the goals.

Dingle, with Daithi Geaney scoring 0-6, defeated relegated Ardfert 2-12 to 1-5, as both sides warmed up for next Sunday’s final.

Killcummin and Waterville were promoted to Division 1 while John Mitchels and Currow come up from Division 3.