Sport

Ó Sé still as evasive as ever on playing future

GAELIC GAMES ALL STARS TOUR: DARRAGH Ó SÉ was expected to walk away from a truly epic Gaelic football career in the wake of …

GAVIN CUMMISKEY in San Francisco
Tue Dec 09 2008 - 00:00

GAELIC GAMES ALL STARS TOUR:DARRAGH Ó SÉ was expected to walk away from a truly epic Gaelic football career in the wake of last September's All-Ireland final. Supposed to collect a sixth Celtic cross; an achievement, especially in the modern game, that would leave him comfortably beside uncle Páidí's eight medal haul.

Luck even seemed to pay Ó Sé one last visit, with his red card in the semi-final against Cork not denying him the chance to bow out as a headline act because Kerry stumbled and drew the game. Still, Tyrone ruined the perfect exit.

Almost 34, he has been wintering well with the All Stars in San Francisco these past few days, even bagging two goals in Sunday's exhibition match in Páirc na nGael.

So, to the obvious question about his future in football. Will the greatest midfielder of his generation be returning for one more season?

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"No decision yet," replied Ó Sé, in typical evasive manner. "I haven't thought about it too much, to be honest with you. We're trying to get our heads around the loss in the All-Ireland; I'll weigh up where I'm going for the future, aside from myself Kerry are going to be there or thereabouts next year anyway, with our without Darragh Ó Sé, I haven't decided yet."

Last season Ó Sé stated he would continue so long as he still enjoyed his trade and while there has been signs of age creeping up, equally there were reminders of that old devilish brilliance.

"I enjoyed last year. I decided late to go (on); I probably didn't get fit until later on in the year; we had a super time; we had a good run in it; we probably could have gone a bit further, but that's the way it goes. Tyrone were value for money on the day and they beat us fair and square; we just have to take that and dust ourselves down and come back again stronger and better."

The youngest Ó Sé sibling, Marc, is also on tour this week and the chance to play alongside him and Tomás one more time ensures he will agonise over this decision. He will, it appears, opt to move on.

"That was the carrot, but at the end of the day, I'm 33 now; I'll be 34 next year and it's not easy to keep going. As I say I have no decision made. I'm going to tease it out and see where I am later on in the year. Obviously I'll have to make a decision sooner rather than later, but we'll make that decision too in time."