Babs Keating and Eddie Keher in tribute to Jimmy Doyle

Babs Keating and Eddie Keher last night paid their respects to the Tipperary hurling great Jimmy Doyle who passed away yesterday.

As a child, Doyle idolised Christy Ring but the sentiment of respect and appreciation was mutual. “I suppose the best tribute I could pay him,” says Keating, “was when I was having lunch with Ring in 1966 or ‘67 in Mallow and in those days all the talk was about hurling no matter who came to the table.

“He was putting me under pressure about who was the best ever but as we walked out Ring said, ‘Babs, if Jimmy Doyle was as strong as you and I nobody would ever ask who was the best’.