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'A nod, a wink and a point of the finger' | David Brady's Andy Moran tribute

Former Mayo footballer David Brady joined Tuesday's OTB AM to pay tribute to fellow county star A...



'A nod, a wink and a point of...
Football

'A nod, a wink and a point of the finger' | David Brady's Andy Moran tribute

Former Mayo footballer David Brady joined Tuesday's OTB AM to pay tribute to fellow county star Andy Moran upon his retirement. 

From 183 games with his county, Moran won two All-Stars, eight Connacht medals and was the 2017 Footballer of the Year.

Brady heaped praise on the full-forward describing him as an "all-encompassing" character both on and off the pitch.

"He's given it his all as a person, as a player and, I suppose, as a symbol of what GAA, in my mind, stands for", Brady explained.

"And I have to say that as a young player coming into the panel – I was eight years in the panel at this stage.

"So, I was kind of that elder statesmen and then you have this young Duracell bunny coming into the dressing room in 2003-2004 and you're going 'Is he hyper? Is he delusional? Or is he just what he turned out to be?': a constant positive influence, a positive character and a fine footballer."

Brady added that he believed Moran was a true county man who valued his contribution to Mayo over any of the personal awards or accolades he picked up. "It's what he did for Mayo," Brady said.

"It might be the end of Andy Moran as a player but he will have, without a doubt, a future within Mayo GAA for years to come."

One of Brady's favourite lasting memories of Moran, he said, will be the Ballaghaderreen club man's simple celebration: "He was a great man for just a little nod, a wink and a shake of the finger."

"In 2006 it was, he scored the goal to bring us back into the game when we were eight points down against Dublin.  Against Kerry in the semi-final in 2017, the wink and the finger he'd just give you a point of the finger.

"He never overly celebrated anything that is one memory that stands out for me of Andy."

While Moran may be just the first of several retirements from the current Mayo panel, Brady said that he is not worried about the future as long as they match the example set by Moran.

"There is a lot of players that will step up and step into Andy Moran's boots. Those that played with him and have been in a dressing room with him can only take the lessons that he has shown them and that is to carry themselves in the way he carried himself and to play in the way he played.

"And to continue and try to bring that ultimate goal home to Mayo football.

"Within a GAA context, he was the ultimate, ultimate professional," Brady concluded.

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Andy Moran David Brady Mayo Mayo GAA