“I’ve said it to most of my teammates in Westmeath at this stage, but I’ll be hanging up the boots this year with Westmeath,” Maguire declared after Caulry’s emphatic victory over Tang in a Westmeath SFC group game on Sunday.
“Fourteen years I’ve been playing with Westmeath, so I’ve a long stint done,” he added in an interview broadcast via Westmeath GAA’s social media channels.
“Delighted with how long I got, and most of it fairly injury-free. It’s been an amazing experience, but the last year or two has been hard on the body with a few injuries and I think it’s come to that time where I’d like to hang the boots up.”
Maguire first saw SFC action in a Leinster semi-final defeat to Louth back in 2010. He has remained a vital defensive cog over the intervening decade and more, taking over as team captain in 2021 and leading his county to the inaugural Tailteann Cup in 2022. He also lifted the NFL Division 3 title last spring, albeit he was injured for the Croke Park final against Down.
Maguire’s departure is further evidence that the Lake County is facing into a period of transition, with Dessie Dolan stepping down as team boss after two years, coming after the retirement of James Dolan, a cousin of the now-former manager. They have lost also David Lynch and Andy McCormack to emigration for the coming season.
“I was honoured to be captain,” said Maguire, reflecting on his four years wearing the armband. “There’s a great group of lads, particularly the lads that I was with the whole way through who were all leaders amongst the team, so it wasn’t really a one-man job or anything like that. There were lots of great leaders there, and I was honoured to represent them in that fashion.
“It’s been a huge experience, and I think what Des (Dolan) has done, what Jack (Cooney) did in the last couple of years has put Westmeath up really with the likes of Galway; Armagh, All-Ireland winners; Derry; and we’ve put in some serious performances. So I think Westmeath has come on an awful lot, and it’s been a privilege being part of that.”
A Westmeath GAA statement paid tribute to the player, describing Maguire as “one of our greatest players this millennium” and one who “will always be remembered as one of the best defenders in the country.”
Former Mayo ‘keeper John Madden, an adopted Caulry man, echoed that sentiment. “Started the first couple of years of his career keeping the likes of Bernard Brogan and the Gooch (Colm Cooper) scoreless in championship football. Maintained that standard all through and, for my money, was the pre-eminent full-back in the country over the last decade,” Madden tweeted.
