Cha won’t make Cats return as Ballyhale duty his total focus

“I’m gone to stud,” is how James ‘Cha’ Fitzpatrick put it when asked might he like to return to the Kilkenny panel.

Brian Cody, who is shortly expected to be confirmed as staying on asmanager next year, has never been known to ask a player back to a panel after they left of their own volition. But the Ballyhale Shamrocks man has saved his old mentor the bother anyway.

Beaming a wide smile after claiming a fifth county title on Sunday, theformer young hurler of the year, still just 27, hasn’t given a thought toplaying for his county again.

“No, no, God no. Every dog has his day and I’ve had mine now. I’menjoying my hurling with the club at the moment. It was a good day for Ballyhale Shamrocks. We’re back on the map again.

“I made my decision last year and stuck by it. I wasn’t going to go into training and play second fiddle all year even with Kilkenny having injuries.

“That’s the decision I took, I’m happy with it and I’ve no regrets. I’m just delighted to be in Nowlan Park wearing the green and white ofShamrocks.”

It’s 12 months since Fitzpatrick, frustrated with being overlooked, announced his decision. The Dublin-based primary school teacher was subsequently linked with Anthony Daly’s team but that was never on his radar, nor transferring from Ballyhale.

“There was never any contact, never any calls or anything like that. It was just rumour mill,” he said of the club switch conjecture. I’m proud of my club Ballyhale and it’s where I was brought up. There are three villages, Knockmoylan, Ballyhale and Knocktopher, that make up the Shamrocks and I wouldn’t leave my own club.”

Fitzpatrick described himself as “refreshed”, having spent six weeks in California during the summer. He’s travelled home once a week from Dublin and enjoyed the more relaxed approach although there was pressure on Ballyhale to make up for being knocked out of the county championship by O’Loughlin Gaels and James Stephens over the last two years.

“My aim this year was to win a county final and a lot of us are pushing on in the team.

“There are a few lads over 30 and I have a few grey hairs now myself. You have to take these chances when they’re there because it gets harder and harder to win them.

“Over the last couple of years we got beaten in a semi-final and then in afinal replay last year. It was verydisappointing.

“When you have the talent there, it’s important to take the opportunity. When you look at our team on paper, it’s a fantastic team but that doesn’talways translate into victories. This group, it’s our fifth one, and it’s the sweetest one of all.”