Tuesday, February 07, 2012
TIPPERARY star Lar Corbett stunned the hurling world last night by announcing his inter-county hurlingretirement.
The 2010 Hurler of the Year broke the shock news to Tipp manager Declan Ryan in person. Sources indicated that Corbett had earlier informed his shellshocked teammates of his decision via text message.
Corbett, 30, joined the Tipperary senior hurling panel as a 19-year-old under the tenure of Nicky English but has now called time on a glittering career.
It is believed that Corbett explained to his Tipperary colleagues that he is unable to give full commitment to the cause for the coming season, and has stepped aside as a result.
A Tipperary County Board statement said last night: "The Tipperary snior hurling management regrets that Lar Corbett has informed us of his withdrawal from the Tipperary Senior Hurling panel due to work and business commitments. Lar’s importance and value to the Tipperary senior hurling team is immeasurable and the door will remain open to him for a return to the panel if those work pressures ease."
The Thurles Sarsfields clubman, who famously scored a hat-trick of goals for Tipperary in the 2010 All-Ireland hurling final against Kilkenny, had yet to return to training with the Munster champions this year.
Corbett was named in the Munster interprovincial squad for the recent challenge match against a Tipperary selection in aid of Breast Cancer Ireland, coming on as substitute.
It is understood Corbett will continue to line out for Thurles Sarsfields but his decision to quit the Tipperary set-up will send shockwaves through the entire hurling community.
Since making his championship debut in 2001 against Clare, Corbett has scored a whopping total of 26-67, and stunned Waterford with a scintillating 4-4 haul in last summer’s Munster final.
Corbett’s championship haul in 2011 totalled 7-9 and that was good enough to earn him a third All Star.
But Corbett was left devastated by his All-Ireland final performance last September, when he was held scoreless by Kilkenny’s man-marker Jackie Tyrrell.
The return of the four-time Munster SH medallist, however, was never seen as anything other than a formality as Corbett has been one of Tipperary’s most consistent performers in recent years.
But Corbett, who could not be contacted last night, confirmed to teammates that he was calling it a day by sending a group text message.
Tipperary sources indicated Corbett travelled to manager Ryan’s house in Clonoulty to inform his former teammate in person of his decision.
Corbett’s debut appearance in an All-Ireland senior hurling final, back in 2001, was ironically in a Tipperary attack that featured Ryan at full-forward.
Corbett, who had made his first senior appearance in a Tipperary shirt in a South-East league match in 2000, scored 0-2 against Galway in the 2001 decider as the Premier County claimed a first All-Ireland success since 1991.
Nine years passed before Corbett claimed a second Celtic cross and this time, his impact was far more devastating as the lethal corner forward bagged three goals against Kilkenny in the memorable 2010 final.
Corbett scored a first-half goal before adding a brace of deadly strikes in the second half to end Kilkenny’s hopes of claiming a fifth successive All-Ireland senior crown.
The news of Corbett’s withdrawal comes shortly after boss Ryan cut seven players from an extended squad.
Corbett now becomes the second player from last year’s squad to announce his inter-county retirement, following in the footsteps of fellow 2010 All-Ireland medallist Benny Dunne.
Former Clare All-Ireland winning selector and Irish Examiner columnist Tony Considine expressed his shock last night at Corbett’s decision to walk away from the game.
"I’m in complete shock. This came straight out of the blue and I think he’s going to be a massive loss to Tipperary.
"You look at his record in scoring three goals in an All-Ireland final and four goals in a Munster final which shows he’s a serious forward.
"And he’ll also be a massive loss to hurling in general as the game can’t afford not to have stars like him. I thought Lar definitely had another couple of years left in him at the top. But obviously he has other commitments that have to take priority."
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