John Doyle has said it was an honour to have played for Kildare for 15 years.

The Allenwood clubman, who will go down as one of the best players not to have won an All-Ireland medal, announced his retirement yesterday, citing family reasons for doing so.

In a statement released through the GPA, the 37-year-old said: "I wish to announce my retirement from county football today. I make this decision very reluctantly but do so based on my family commitments.

"It has been a great privilege for me to have worn the Kildare jersey for the past 15 years and a wonderful honour to have soldiered with and against so many great players.

"This commitment has shaped me as a person and Kildare football has been an integral part of my life for as long as I can remember.

"However, I am confident that now is the right time to close this chapter and move on to an exciting period in my life.

"I would like to wish Jason Ryan, his management team and the current Kildare squad the very best of luck for the championship season 2014 and indeed on into the future." Tweet

Most Read Stories