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Linden
hings up County Boots - 10/11/03
 Mickey
Linden won All-Ireland medals in 1991 and 1994
Mickey Linden has finally called time on his Down football
career.
The 40-year-old confirmed to BBC Sport
on Wednesday that he has retired from the intercounty scene
- although he will continue to play for his club Mayobridge.
Understated as ever, Linden was reluctant
to elaborate on his decision beyond a brief confirmation
that a chapter in his life was over.
Linden has to be regarded as one of the
greatest forwards in GAA history.
He made his Down senior debut as a 17-year-old
in 1982.
Four years later, he played in his first
Ulster Final and he went on to line out in six provincial
deciders - including this year's clash against Tyrone when
he came on as a late substitute in the drawn game.
Linden helped Down claim the Ulster and
All-Ireland titles in 1991 and 1994.
It seems an injustice that he only claimed
one Allstar in 1994 when he was also voted the GAA's player
of the year.
That year, he scored 0-17 for Down in their
championship campaign which was a tremendous haul considering
that Linden was not a free-taker.
Many will remember his unselfish pass to
James McCartan in the '94 final against Dublin which enabled
the Mourne County to score the crucial goal in the 1-12
to 0-13 win.
In all, Linden hit 9-64 in his championship
career for Down and he scored in every campaign from 1986
to 2002.
Given the way the modern gaelic football
is going, it's doubtful whether a 40-year-old will be involved
again with a county panel.
Amazingly in all the current county panels
in Ulster, the next oldest player to Linden is 33-year-old
Armagh captain Kieran McGeeney.
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