Tributes pour in for Tipp legend Stakelum

PAT STAKELUM, who died yesterday, was not only one of the greats of Tipperary hurling but rated among the most accomplished defenders of all time and had won every single honour the game had to offer.

He was an uncle of Richard Stakelum, who captained the county in their 1987 Munster final replay victory over Cork in Killarney, and Bobby Ryan, who lifted the Liam MacCarthy Cup in 1989.

Distinguishing himself as a centre-back par excellence with the Premier county, he was on their last three-in-a-row winning team of 1949-’50-’51. And he had the honour of captaining the team which defeated Laois in the final of 1949, just two years after making his senior debut.