Legendary Edenderry footballer Basil Malone has announced his retirement from club football with the county champions.
Malone (32), a four time senior county medalist, has called time on his career after a fairytale season with the reds in 2011. Having battled at the lower table of Offaly football over the past ten years, Edenderry surprised everyone by winning the senior championship with a one point win over Clara in October.
The news will come as a blow to the reds who will seek to win back to back championships for the first time in their history. Malone completed a remarkable achievement in 2007 when he won an intermediate championship with Edenderry therefore winning every single medal ever available to him in a club career.
In 1997 Basil, aged just 18, collected seven different awards at the club awards night when he collected a minor medal, minor player of the year, u21 medal, junior league, junior championship, senior league and senior championship medal.
Regarded as one of the most skilful players to ever emerge from Edenderry, Malone played a vital role in the reds rise to prominence once again in 2011. Operating at centre forward, Malone gave a man of the match display against Ferbane in the group stages of the championship.
Unfortunately for the reds Malone relocated to Donegal a few years back for work reasons but being the loyal servant that he was, he stuck with the reds and even captained the team in 2010.
It is with deep sadness the club will lose a player of Basil’s quality but not one person will ever question the loyalty and service the ‘quiet man’ gave the red jersey.
It is widely expected Malone will join Declan Bonner’s Dungloe side in the coming weeks.
