89 Championship games played, 16 years in red and white, and those of us who had the honour to see him in action should be thankful for that.
Sean Cavanagh will go down as one of the greats of the game.
The Moy club man has been to the forefront of everything Tyrone football for as long as many of us can remember.
He was the heart that never stopped beating, that never shirked a challenge, that always came back for more, that is owed so much by his county.
It’s so hard to picture a Tyrone team without their powerful, spirited warrior because he always thrown himself around the field with blatant disregard for his own well-being, with an insatiable determination to serve his people.
Not only was he one of the most naturally gifted footballers to play the game, with his imposing physique, his incredible accuracy and power off both feet, his peripheral vision and his famous shimmying feet, but he was also that – a man that would die in his boots for his teammates, for himself.
When Cavanagh announced last November that he would come back for one more season in red and white, under the stewardship of Mickey Harte, a man that must be like a father to him, it really hit home that Cavanagh will soon be gone, and we should appreciate his presence.
Not all careers end on a fairy-tale, but the 34-year-old more than made up for a disappointing ending with the unique trail he blazed for himself, winning 3 All-Irelands, 6 Ulster titles and a Footballer of the Year award along the way.
Cavanagh is held in high esteem by his teammates, by his peers, we know that.
But the reaction of the Dublin players, knowing that it was Cavanagh’s last game, was perhaps even more telling.
Each and every one of the Dublin panelists went out of their way to shake hands, to console, to thank, to bloody well admire.
They know how rare a legend like that is, and we should too.
CREDIT: RTÉ
Brian Fenton was first over.
The rest followed.
A truly touching moment between two of the game’s greats.
Legends all round.
