Six time All-Ireland winner Darragh Ó Sé has announced his retirement from intercounty football.

The An Gaeltacht clubman last lined out with the Kingdom in the All-Ireland final win over Cork last September and there had been speculation about his future in the Kerry colours after a career which covered 16-years.

He made his intercounty debut in 1994 and was at midfield three years later when Kerry claimed their first Sam Maguire in 11-years. Since then he has played eight All-Ireland finals, missing out in 2004 through injury. He lost out in the final on three occasions, to Armagh in 2002 and twice to Tyrone, in 2005 and 2008.

A three time All Star winner, Ó Sé was surprisingly never a Footballer of the Year winner and his absence from the Kerry engine room this summer will leave a huge hole to fill for manager Jack O'Connor.

He becomes the fourth of Kerry's All-Ireland winning team of last year to rule themselves out of action this year after the retirement of Diarmuid Murphy and the switch to Australia of Tadhg Kennelly and Tommy Walsh.

Another legendary Kerry midfielder, Jack O'Shea paid tribute to Ó Sé, stating that he was an ambassador for the Kingdom.

"At the end of the day he was a phenomenal player, a player I have tremendous admiration for," O'Shea told RTE Radio.

"I think he had the full package, was full of commitment and effort - a great fielder, kicker and athlete.

"He was an ambassador for Kerry for the last 16 years." Tweet

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