DONEGAL’S RECORD appearance holder and record scorer has played his last game for the county.
Colm McFadden has confirmed that he will retire from inter-county football following this evening’s All-Ireland quarter-final loss to Dublin at Croke Park.
After a remarkable career in the green and gold, spanning 170 games, McFadden came in for the final time this evening when he replaced Karl Lacey during added time.
That was the 64th Championship appearance – his 170th in all – for the St Michael’s man.
McFadden is Donegal’s record scorer having scored the equivilant of 509 points – a total of 25 goals and 434 points.
[adrotate group=”81″]McFadden made his Donegal debut in 2002, his Championship bow coming in a win over Down the same year, on a day when Rory Kavanagh also lined out in the Championship for the first time.
Kavanagh has hinted that he, too, will call it a day.
McFadden won the National League Division 1 title in 2007.
Many felt that McFadden’s inter-county career was over in 2010 after he was derided following Donegal’s qualifier loss to Armagh in Crossmaglen – on the day of his 100th Donegal game – but he returned in some style under new manager Jim McGuinness, his brother-in-law.
He was an All-Star in 2012 and netted a goal in Donegal’s All-Ireland final win over Mayo. He was in the running for Player of the Year having posted 4-32 in the Championship, but was pipped by Karl Lacey.
McFadden and Kavanagh lined out against Kerry in the All-Ireland final of 2014. While McFadden returned again, Kavanagh retired and wrote an autobiography, ‘Winning’, last year, before being coaxed back by Rory Gallagher last winter.
However, the St Eunan’s midfielder gave strong hints that this evening’s game will be his last.
