Former Meath captain Kevin Reilly has announced his retirement from inter-county football after 11 seasons wearing the Green and Gold of the Royal County.
The Navan O’Mahony’s man won the 2010 Leinster title with Meath and represented Ireland eight times in the International Rules Series, while also enjoying Sigerson Cup success with DCU and three senior titles in the Royal County with his club.
Reilly has called time on his career as a result of a serious injury picked up in the Leinster final last year, and despite his best efforts to recover, medical advice has convinced the Meath full-back to call time on his career.
Reilly made his debut under Sean Boylan as an 18-year-old and has been a constant in the side until last season.
But now, at the age of 29, Reilly believes that his injury-hit career has caught up with him and the hip injury was the final straw for a body that has endured several surgeries and broken bones.
“This one I just cannot come back from,” said Reilly.
“I feel compelled to explain my reasons for retiring at 29 years old. Some might say what should have been the prime of my career. Persistent and serious injury has led me to call time on my inter-county playing days.
“Three surgeries, my back, hip and Achilles tendon, bulging discs, frequent hamstring, quad and hip flexor tears, broken arm, foot, nose, fingers and vertebrae, chronic tendonitis and cartilage damage in knees, shoulders and Achilles tendons have all taken their toll on my body, but it has been the hip injury I suffered in the Leinster final of 2014 that has brought my career to a premature end.”
Reilly went into real detail about the extent of his injuries and his quest to make it back to inter-county level, but has finally accepted that he will never don the Green and Gold again, although he will try to continue with Navan O’Mahony’s.
Reilly’s entire, honest and interesting statement can be read here.
