Colm Cooper told SportsJOE last September the spirit was willing and that he would play on in 2017 if the body allowed.
The body allows.
‘Gooch’ may be turning 34 this summer but he is not going anywhere without another tilt at winning a sixth Sam Maguire.
Aidan O’Mahony may have retired but Cooper and fellow Kerry forward Kieran Donaghy have committed themselves to at least another hard year of training and playing.
Speaking at the 2017 Allianz Football League launch at Croke Park, on Monday, Donnchadh Walsh told RTE his county teammates were not going anywhere. He said:
“They’re definitely back as far as I can see. You don’t like that uncertainty so it is a good boost, yeah.”
While fantastic news for those in The Kingdom, news that both Cooper and Donaghy are sticking around is hardly seismic.
During The GAA Hour Live, late last year, Cooper admitted he had dabbled with the idea of retirement. However, he continued:
“I’ve had 15 years playing with Kerry. I’ve had great times, ups, downs. Done my cruciate, popped my shoulder, a few months ago.
“A player I respect an awful lot said, a couple of months ago, ‘Do it as long as you can because it’s going to be gone’.
“Talking to a few of the senior guys up here [on stage], they are on similar lines. So, if my body is good, if my body is healthy, I’d like to go again.”
The Gooch ain't going anywhere! #GAAHour pic.twitter.com/hawD01fcHb
— SportsJOE (@SportsJOEdotie) September 17, 2016
When Marc O Sé hung up his boots, last October, he was asked on The GAA Hour if Donaghy and Cooper would follow suit. He replied:
“I wouldn’t be so sure of the two boys [retiring] and if you know the two boys in question, I’d say they’d go on again and they’ll keep going with Kerry. I have no doubt about that.”
As long as their county needs and wants them, ‘Star’ and ‘Gooch’ are all in.
