Brian Fenton hails James McCarthy as the 'greatest Dublin player we will ever see' following retirement

James McCarthy has been hailed as the 'greatest Dublin player we will ever see' by teammate Brian Fenton following his intercounty retirement.

The Ballymun Kickhams man exits the stage with nine All-Ireland title, a record. He also earned five All-Stars during his time with Dublin.

McCarthy is widely regarded as the best player for Dublin over the last 13 years and started in their 11 All-Ireland finals.

READ MORE: Dublin captain and nine-time All-Ireland winner James McCarthy announces his retirement

READ MORE:Dublin GAA retirement: James McCarthy was the fan favourite on a team of legends

Now 34, McCarthy's final year with Dublin was hampered by injuries, playing very few league minutes, and was just about deemed fit for their quarter-final loss to Galway.

Ever-versatile, McCarthy was initially a wingback for Dublinb but made one half of a formidable midfield pairing with Brian Fenton through the latter half of the 2010s and early 2020s.

Fenton took to social media this evening, calling McCarthy: "The greatest Dublin player we will ever see."

In his retirement statement, he said: “I have been very fortunate to have been involved in a golden period for Dublin GAA and I have played with the most incredible group of players," he said. "It really has been some of the best days of my life and I have memories to last a lifetime. The loyalty and friendship we have built is something I will always be thankful for.

“To the Dublin fans, thank you for the support of the team throughout the years. Walking around Croke Park and passing Hill 16 is a memory that I will never forget.

“To my parents John and Marian, my family, my close friends, and my wife Clodagh, thank you for supporting me throughout my football career. Your unwavering belief in me has helped more than you will ever know.

“I would like to thank my club Ballymun Kickhams and the Dublin county board for the opportunity to play with Dublin at both underage and senior level. I will look forward to many years still ahead with my club and I hope to give back all the support I received when I was growing up.

“To all the Dublin senior management, support and medical teams I was fortunate to play under, I just want to take this opportunity to say thank you. I’m trying to avoid names here as there are too many to thank but I feel it would be amiss of me not to mention Shane O’Hanlon. What an incredible loss you have been to the Dublin GAA community and to many of us on a personal level.

“Finally to Dessie and the DSF group for 2025 - best of luck for the season ahead. Time flies, grasp every opportunity that comes your way. You will never get this time back.”

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