Noel O'Leary retires from Cork

[TonyCork80]

podsy's post is quality

+1

A very good poster in general.

 

[pat d shaker]

Cork v Kerry has just lost a bit of spice

 

[Youghal Exile]

+1

A very good poster in general.

Podsy is a great poster and i think Carrig Kids response to his Noelie tribute post is the final proof that he's a Kerry man who put's on this facade of being a Cork supporter!It would be nice if they open the site up to new posters to revitalise it.

 

[TonyCork80]

Just as an aside to how professional things have gotten in football over the last decade in terms of fitness and conditioning

Galvin and Noelie in their early 20's circa 2005

Galvin and Noelie in their 30s, 2013

 

[intothewest]

Just as an aside to how professional things have gotten in football over the last decade in terms of fitness and conditioning

Galvin and Noelie in their early 20's circa 2005

Galvin and Noelie in their 30s, 2013

Cheating a little bit given that was a league game in the depths of winter and all, plus given the age profiles, fellas are always going to be better honed after 10 years on a county panel (usually anyway).

That being said the general point is valid..the average inter-county footballer now is faster and stronger than ever. More skillful too in general, but the amount of county players out there (and Cork is no exception) that are terrible kickers of a ball is depressing to be honest.

Edit: Give me 2005 Galvin over 2013 version any day of the week aswell. A lot faster and better able to cover ground. No tats, beard or shite-talk on twitter either.

 

[shez1987]

Noelie was a rogue, but a loveable one. For a guy that wasn't afraid to walk the disciplinary line, you'd be hard pressed to find anyone who had a bad word for him. Which for a player who had such a lengthy career is fair going. He could mix it with the best as a footballer, or if the circumstances demanded a more spoiling role, he would sign up for that too. No ego, whatever was best to help Cork win footballing matches, he would willingly commit to.

Noelie wasn't perfect, heaven forbid. Privately you'd roll your eyes at some of his misdemeanors, but publicly you'd defend him to the hilt. You could nearly tell in advance the games, or more specifically the opponents where the red mist was likely to descend. He choose his targets wisely. Graham Geraghty, Paul Galvin, Donal Vaughan, is it any wonder he is so popular with Cork football supporters?

The O'Leary and Galvin spat took on a life of its own there at the end of the last decade. At times it threatened to over-heat on the back of two rival teams coming together once or twice too often. In the end, mutual respect won out, however grudgingly. Another annal added to the enduring Cork and Kerry rivalry.

His leadership and drive will be sorely missed in the Cork dressing room next year. His popularity in Cork GAA circles will remain secure for as long as we are fortunate enough to have dedicated and passionate men like Noelie representing us on the playing fields. Enjoy your retirement Noelie, see you on the terraces next summer and beyond.

 

[Youghal Exile]

From Rebel Gaa.

bookend: First to Podsy, superb tribute.

Second to Noelie, superb player, warrior, servant to Cork. You would need to blind not to see the utter pride he had in wearing the Cork jersey. Nobody can say he never gave it his all.

Coming on the heels of T.O'Se, Gaelic Football has lost 2 great men. Ok, nobody would claim Noelie was as good as TOS but there's no shame in that, very few were, are or will be.

But Noelie was ours, flaws and all (and he had them) he never let anyone down and was instrumental in Cork winning Sam in '10.

Biggest tribute I can pay him is that without him we probably would not have won it.

Best of luck Noelie and thanks for everything.

Hossesass: Great post Podsy, apart from one very important aspect of Nollaig's talent which you omitted.
I remember you in the South Mall on that fine Monday night in September 2010 as you sang along with Nollaig.
He was the best singer on the back of a lorry since Larry Cunningham.
He could play football too.

Nice post here from a Kerry fan.

KingdomCome35: I remember being on the pitch in Croke Park after the All Ireland final in 2007. I noticed Noel O'Leary and another Cork player (can't remember who) standing side by side watching the trophy presentation.Smiling good naturedly at all the exhuberant Kerry supporters around them. I offered my hand to Noel and said hard luck and he looked me straight into my eye, shook my hand warmly and said" have a great night tonight". I was taken with the quiet dignity and class of the man following such a harrowing defeat.

He has long been a sort of bete noire to a section of Kerry supporters but to me he was a pure warrior, a fella who would give of his all for his cause, and walk away with pride and dignity intact afterwards, whatever way the chips fell.

The world of Gaelic Football will miss Noel O'Leary.

And that prick Carrig Kid continues to dig a bigger hole for himself.

carrig kid: Typical over-vehement response to the mildest criticism of a fan's favourite on here. Timing has nothing to do with, just because a guy has announced his retirement doesn't mean we can't evaluate his strengths and weaknesses.

Like I said, it was always a pleasure to see a guy with such determination and relentless commitment but let's face facts he could be a liability at times, not the worst culprit of the head down mentality but an offender nonetheless. It's hilarious to listen to some of the heartfelt tear-jerking eulogies on here from the same guys who were slating him only a few months ago and saying his time was up, hilarious if nothing else.

Corkdouble10: Carrig Kid

As Noel O Leary retires after 14 years of giving everything for his county and US, day in day out training like a professional for not a penny but the pride of his county you could have wrote a more dignified comment than you did. He's one of the main reasons we won the all-Ireland in 2010 and any man with any bit of class which is fairly transparent your lacking would thank the man for everything he's done for Cork instead of bashing his weaknesses.

 

[Muintir]

Ah Noelee saw the black cards coming and wisely headed for the hills!

 

[blackie]

Ah Noelee saw the black cards coming and wisely headed for the hills!

the black hills of dakota , cutting trees i assume :lol:

 

[Youghal Exile]

I shouldn't be giving him the attention but it's no harm for people to see what we are dealing with here.

carrig kid: I'll always be one the first to thank NOL for his contribution, like I said there's a lot to admire about the guy. But just because a guy is retiring doesn't mean we can't discuss his ability as a player objectively, I don't think anything I said was overly-harsh and certainly nothing that hasn't been said by plenty of others on here in the past.

KDCK: Shut up you muppet, the lad has won 3 All Irelands and 5 Munsters, the disrespect you have shown here knows no end.

carrig kid: Hard to argue with a man who makes such a persuasive and eloquent point, you keep the blinkers on kid, wave your flag and refuse to even entertain any kind of objective discussion on a footballer

KDCK: I was only telling the truth, funny how you didn't address the points raised?

carrig kid: And what were they exactly??

Pathetic stuff from a pathetic troll.