Kevin Downes: 'Of course you miss it but there were times it was mental torture'

John Kiely “didn’t sugarcoat it”, Kevin Downes recalls of their conversation in November 2019. He wouldn’t be part of Limerick’s plans in 2020

Kevin Downes, centre, and Aaron Gillane celebrate Limerick's 2018 All-Ireland victory with supporters. Photo by Ramsey Cardy/Sportsfile

John Kiely “didn’t sugarcoat it”, Kevin Downes recalls of their conversation in November 2019. Downes wouldn’t have wanted him to. The pill just had to be swallowed. He wouldn’t be part of Limerick’s plans in 2020. And so, having just turned 28, he was onto the WhatsApp group to say his goodbyes.

“You hear everyone talking about leaving the WhatsApp group and that’s exactly it, you put your message up saying ‘best of luck’ and you’re gone. It’s as cold as that. Case closed. You’d go back in a heartbeat but I was 28 when I spoke to John that time so I wasn’t going to say I was retiring, even though it was highly unlikely I was going to be called back at that time.”