SHY ON RETIRING

But Kerry legend Maurice is not afraid to have his say on what he calls a "very exciting" time for football

- PAT NOLAN

RETIREMENT statements weren't quite de rigueur back in 2001, but for players of a certain status, an announcement of some sort would have been expected.

In the case of Maurice Fitzgerald, it still hasn't landed. He played his last game for Kerry in the 2001 All-Ireland semi-final defeat to Meath off the bench having been controversially employed in an impact sub role by then manager Páidí Ó Sé over the previous couple of seasons.

But when the team regrouped in 2002, Fitzgerald just didn't materialise. No confir-mation he had called time was forthcoming.

Indeed, Ó Sé's successor Jack O'Connor, now in his third stint as Kerry manager, tried to coax him back in 2004 without success.

Fitzgerald was a fixture on the club scene for years afterwards, playing for St Mary's well into his 40s. Earlier this week, he was the guest speaker as Munster GAA launched its provincial championships.

He remains both lean and imposing, with scarcely a grey hair in sight as his appear-ance belies his 55 years.

Would the principal of Coláiste na Sceilge take this opportunity to belatedly confirm his retirement to the media?

"We had an inter-firm team that we put in for the last two years so they had a Munster semi-final last Friday," he smiles.