Kieran Donaghy has announced his retirement from inter-county football.
The 2006 footballer of the year won four All-Irelands, three League titles and eight Munster titles, as well as three All-Stars.
The 35-year-old announced the news with a poem online, called 'Kerry I thank you...'
A little poem for ye. Thanks for everything @Kerry_Official pic.twitter.com/WIxl985gkL
— Kieran Donaghy (@starryboy14) September 11, 2018
He added in a statement: "Today I wish to announce my retirement from the Kerry Senior Football team. The journey has been full of ups and downs but I never wanted it to end.
"It has surpassed even my wildest dreams, that a basketball kid from Tralee would end up playing 69 times in the championship over a 14 year period for the famous Green and Gold."
A talented basketballer, Donaghy also won Player of the Year as Tralee Tigers won the National Cup in 2005.
He shot to prominence in 2006 with a famous qualifier performance against Longford as a targetman full-forward, alongside Colm Cooper and Mike Frank Russell. He scored 1-2 in that year's final against Mayo and won Footballer of the Year.
He scored two goals in their 2007 All-Ireland win over Cork, and 1-2 in their 2014 victory over Donegal.
He signed off on his 14-year inter-county career by saying:
"I’m a proud Kerry man and to have represented this county meant absolutely everything to me. As the great John B Keane once said, ‘I’m one lucky hoor!’"
Donaghy also represented Ireland in the International Rules Series in 2006, 2008 and 2011, and won Kerry and Munster titles with his club Austin Stacks in 2014. He captained Kerry to a Munster title the following year.
He continues to play basketball at a high level with Tralee Warriors in the Super League, winning the Champions Trophy with the club in 2017 and 2018.
Former Kerry manager Éamonn Fitzmaurice, who also played with Donaghy for three years, called Donaghy a "totemic figure".
"He has been a totemic figure for Kerry since he broke into the team in 2006 and has led from the front since. He bookended his career by re-energising an ailing group in 2006 and inspiring a new group in 2018.
"Kieran came on the scene as a rangy midfielder, was converted with huge success into a target man full forward and has embraced a variety of roles on the team since. His physical attributes and basketball background meant he was outstanding as the fulcrum of the attack.
"His biggest asset, however, is undoubtedly his personality coupled with an unmatched energy. His will to win and determination to succeed are what make him different.
"He overcame plenty of disappointments to come back better and stronger. A snapshot of the 2014 season epitomised his resilience where he failed to see game time in the All Ireland quarter final but ended up absolutely central to that All Ireland win."
He also tipped Donaghy as a potential Kerry manager.
"He has the personality to go into management. He is the ultimate team player, has a strong appreciation of the team dynamic, possesses a great tactical understanding of the game and most importantly is brimming with ideas. I can definitely see him successfully managing Kerry teams in the future."
Their teammate Marc Ó Sé called Donaghy "the best teammate I ever had bar none".
He added: "The ultimate team player. Never gave up. Was never beaten. And he was some craic in the dressing room as well. Ní bheidh a leithéid ann arís!"
The best teammate I ever had bar none. The ultimate team player. Never gave up. Was never beaten. And he was some craic in the dressing room as well. Ní bheidh a leithéid ann arís ! pic.twitter.com/um0dUgVZcc
— Marc Ó Sé (@osemarc2) September 11, 2018