MEATH legend Colm Coyle had led the tributes to Monaghan half-forward Paul Finlay who called time on his inter-county career yesterday after 14 years representing the Farney county.
The Ballybay man racked up 168 appearances, scoring 5-544 in the process, as he helped his county to two Ulster titles and three National Football League successes.
Coyle was the man who gave Finlay his first senior start for Monaghan, bringing him into the team for the Division 2B match against Wexford in February 2003, and he said that handing him his debut was an easy decision to make.
“I had the U21s as well in 2003 and he would have been on that team too,” said Coyle.
“There were a lot of the young lads then coming through from that U21 team, Vinny Corey and Dessie Mone were on it too but Paul just stood out from the start.
“His Championship debut would have been against Armagh that year. They were All-Ireland champions and his free-taking was impeccable that day.
“He had a tremendous left foot, a great attitude and he was just a great lad. It’s hard to believe that it’s been 14 seasons.”
During his playing days, Finlay, who turns 34 in March, secured a reputation as an exemplary left-footed free-taker, and there were few better strikers of the ball in Ireland.
Coyle said that you have to possess certain characteristics to be as reliable as Finlay was from dead-ball situations.
“Any of the best free-takers I’ve come across, Brian Stafford,
Trevor Giles from my Meath background, they all had the same temperament.
“You can’t really ruffle them and Paul was like too that too, although I’ve seen him get ruffled on the pitch on occasion.
“You don’t appreciate a good free-taker until you don’t have one.
“His general play was so good too. He was an excellent footballer for Monaghan and, also, when he got a stint with the International Rules. He’s a big loss for the county.”
Two of Finlay’s five goals came in League games against Coyle’s native county with the other three-pointers also coming against Leinster sides in the League – Westmeath, Laois and Wicklow.
Although he never raised a green flag in Championship football, Finlay did contribute 0-151 in 48 games which helped Monaghan to Anglo Celt successes in 2013 and 2015.
“He’s had a good career although unfortunately not everyone can win All-Ireland’s,” Coyle said.
“When you go back to 2003, Monaghan were a long, long way away from winning Ulster titles.
“He’s ended up with two of them which I’m delighted about.”
Finlay’s retirement comes hot on the heels of team-mate Dick Clerkin who called time on a 17-year career earlier this month.
The Farney county are not the only Ulster side dealing with permanent withdrawals.
Donegal had to absorb the decisions of Eamon McGee and Colm McFadden to step away back in the summer while the futures of Rory Kavanagh and Christy Toye remain unclear.
Ciaran McKeever is returning to Armagh and Andy Mallon is expected to do likewise, but there is much more uncertainty surrounding the future of Tony Kernan.
Fermanagh haven’t avoided the retirement curse either as Martin O’Brien and Niall Cassidy have called it quits, although the former’s decision was due to an on-going knee problem.
