Football

Sean Cavanagh commits for another tilt at Sam

Speculation has surrounded Sean Cavanagh's future with the Tyrone footballers  
Speculation has surrounded Sean Cavanagh's future with the Tyrone footballers   Speculation has surrounded Sean Cavanagh's future with the Tyrone footballers  

SEAN CAVANAGH has ended speculation over his future by confirming via social media that he will line out for Tyrone next year.


“Hope to be fit & healthy enough to pull on my beloved Red Hand jersey in 2017. Couldn’t finish like that,” tweeted Cavanagh on Tuesday evening.

The Moy man had been mulling over his future since the Red Hands were knocked out of the Championship at the All-Ireland quarter-final stage by eventual runners-up Mayo.

The Tyrone captain also tweeted ‘One For The Road...’ on Tuesday, which perhaps points to 2017 being his final year of inter-county football. In his recently-released book, Out of Control, his Tyrone team-mate Cathal McCarron recalled how that particular defeat took its toll on Cavanagh post-match.

“I’ve seen Sean Cavanagh after plenty of games, but I’ve never seen him as destroyed. It took a huge toll on the man,” claimed McCarron.

Cavanagh, who will turn 34 in February, had said earlier in the year that 2016 was likely to be his last season in Tyrone colours. However, Mickey Harte recently stated that he expected to  have Cavanagh available for 2017. Five times an Allstar, Cavanagh has been a permanent fixture with Tyrone for 15 seasons, winning All-Irelands in 2003, 2005 and 2008.

Meanwhile, Dick Clerkin has also announced his retirement from inter-county football after a career with Monaghan that stretches back to 1999. 

He was the only remaining player from the last millennium playing inter-county football, making a record 179 appearances for the Farney men and winning two Ulster titles.