Injury forces Miskella retirement

A troublesome groin injury has left Cork's John Miskella with no option but to retire from inter-county and club football.

News of the 33-year-old defender's retirement was confirmed in the Irish Examiner today, with medical experts advising him to call time on his successful career with Ballincollig and the Rebels.

"I've retired from both club and county football. It's injury-related in that I have a groin injury that isn't improving," he said.

"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's last appearance in the red of Cork was in their All-Ireland quarter-final defeat to Mayo in July. He scored a point in that game but was sent-off in the closing stages.

A debutant for Cork against Waterford back in 1999, he won an All-Star award ten years later and was an All-Ireland winner in 2010. His collection of medals also includes four Munster Championships.

Reflecting on the high of Croke Park in September 2010, he admitted: "I'd been there since 1999, so that was great, to win an All-Ireland medal.

"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 (against Kerry) 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, who also played for Ireland in the International Rules series, was keen to pay tribute to his wife Claire for her support, adding: "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 for 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."