Sean Marty Lockhart is expected to announce his inter-county retirement after making a record 50 championship appearances for Derry. According to reports, the 33-year-old has already made up his mind to quit the inter-county game. His last game for the Oak Leaf County was in this summer's All-Ireland qualifier loss to Donegal - a tie which marked his half century of championship appearances. A MacRory Cup winner with St. Pat's, Maghera in 1995, Lockhart made his National League debut for Derry in the same year. He won an All-Ireland under 21 medal two years later and went on to become one of the leading defenders in the game. He won an Ulster championship medal and an All-Star in 1998 and also garnered National League medals in 1996, 2000 and 2008. Despite his frustration at Derry's sense of underachievement and his well-documented injury problems, Lockhart continued to perform at the highest level in recent years and will be remembered as one of the tightest marking full backs of his generation. He also played in no fewer than eight International Rules series, and holds the record for the highest number of appearances (16) by an Irish player. While Lockhart won't be involved with Derry next year, it's understood that fellow veteran Enda Muldoon has committed himself to the cause for another season. Tweet

Most Read Stories