Dick Clerkin focused on the positives of his 17-year stint with Monaghan as he claimed: "It would have been very easy with the resources we had to have achieved nothing."
Clerkin announced on Tuesday that he would not be back for another inter-county campaign, as the 34-year-old brought the curtain down on a stellar career.
Having lifted Ulster SFC titles in 2013 and 2015, as well as two Allianz Football League Division 2 crowns in 2005 and 2014, Clerkin was part of a talented Monaghan vintage who never kicked on to capture Sam Maguire.
The midfielder has no lingering bitterness about that though, and instead talked up the scale of his side's achievements.
"It would have been very easy, with the resources we had, to have achieved nothing," he told RTÉ 2fm's Game On.
I'd focus on the positives and look at what we did achieve
"I'd focus on the positives and look at what we did achieve and not what we missed out on.
"I don't like to use the word regret, I genuinely don't have any regrets. All you can do as a footballer or a sportsperson is just go as hard as you can.
"If it's good enough it's good enough, if it's not, it's not. Sometimes you just meet teams that are better than you. There's worse teams than us who've gone further but sometimes that's just the way the cards fall."
Clerkin's final day in a Monaghan jersey was last July's qualifier defeat to Longford.
He was an unused sub as his county tumbled out of the championship, and Clerkin admits the combination of a lack of playing time and creaking bones convince him the time had come to walk away.
I'd be lying if I didn't say there's a few aches and pains creeping into the joints
"Sometimes I think [playing in midfield] stood to me," the Currin clubman said.
"Your body gets used to the rough and tumble and you put up with the knocks. You get hardened over the years. I've been very fortunate.
"My father was very fortunate as well over the years, with the length of his career. Ultimately it was an injury that finished him but he played for a long time with little or no injuries so maybe it's in the genes.
"I'd be lying as well if I didn't say there's a few aches and pains creeping into the joints. That was maybe an indication that time was up.
"The enjoyment goes out of it when you're committing to the county team and not getting the game time, and then you're not playing club football because of that commitment.
"I'd hope, body allowing, I can still enjoy playing club level over the next maybe two to three years and enjoy that. We've a great club, and obviously some close family ties."
