One of the country’s longest-serving intercounty footballers has decided to call it a day. Tipperary’s Philip Austin debuted in the championship against Kerry in 2006 and wrapped up his 15-year career against Mayo in last year’s All-Ireland semi-final.
“Goodbye to the Tipperary football family and thanks for the memories,” he tweeted on Friday.
He saved the best until last when coming on as a replacement in last November’s Munster final against Cork and kicking a point, as Tipperary won a first provincial title in 85 years on the weekend of the Bloody Sunday centenary.
Austin, who is 34 and from the Borrisokane club, summed up his thoughts on that career achievement when talking to GAA.ie last December.
“In a way, it’s a relief. I’ve made an awful lot of friends and have enjoyed playing football over the years, but, at the same time, I’ve always longed to actually win something.
“The most we ever won were two Division 3 Leagues and two Division 4 Leagues, but, after that, in the 15 years of senior football with Tipperary and two as a minor I have nothing to show for it only this.
“So finally, I got what I was waiting for which was a Munster, that was the minimum I was waiting to get out of it. It’s indescribable because there were an awful lot of bad days, an awful lot of defeats. But the sweeter days seem to make up for that.
“Our run in 2016 was memorable too but we came up empty-handed. We lost to Kerry convincingly enough in the Munster Final and then lost to Mayo in the semi-final.”
