Even for a player like Eoin Kelly the decision to retire at age 32 probably doesn't come as a major surprise, although it does bring the curtain down on one of the most glittering careers in the history of Tipperary hurling.
A six-time All Star forward, the highlight for Kelly’s 14-year senior career will always be captaining Tipperary to the 2010 All-Ireland title, beating Kilkenny.
He first broke onto the senior panel as a teenager, in 2000, appearing in the quarter-final defeat to Galway, and then in 2001, was part of the Tipp team that also won the All-Ireland, beating Galway. By uncanny coincidence Kelly scored 0-7 in both those finals, in 2001, and 2010.
He turns 33 next month, certainly not old by inter-county standards, although he struggled to nail down a starting place in manager Eamon O Shea’s team this season, and while he did come on as a replacement in the drawn an All-Ireland final, he didn’t appear in the replay, when Tipp lost out to Kilkenny.
“Everyone has their time in the county jersey, and I just feel my time has come,” Kelly told RTÉ. “This season I suppose I saw limited game time, but Tipp definitely have an up and coming team now, so I just feel the time is right to move on.”
A native of Mullinahone, where he enjoyed considerable success with the club, Kelly also won five Munster titles with Tipp – in 2001, 2008, 2009, 2011 and 2012 – and also two National Hurling League titles, in 2001, and again in 2008, when he was also team captain.
Earlier, he won two Munster under-21 titles, and also two minor titles, the first of this in 1997 when he was aged just 15. He was actually first drafted into the Tipp senior panel as a reserve goalkeeper, although he soon proved his true worth out the field, and particularly close to the goal.
He was named young hurler of the year in 2000, and again in 2001.
He finishes his career as the third highest scorer in championship history – his tally of 21-368, in 63 senior appearances behind only Kilkenny's Henry Shefflin and Eddie Keher.
