After 18 seasons, the keeper is calling it a day.
In many ways it was the summer of the hurling goalkeeper. Cork’s Anthony Nash was a serious contender for Player of the Year until the replayed final and another keeper, Davy Fitzgerald, managed Clare to All-Ireland glory.
Now one of Davy’s contemporaries, and one of the all-time greats, has decided to retire from the inter-county game. According to reports on RTE this evening, Brendan Cummins, winner of two All-Irelands, five Munster titles and five All-Stars over an 18-year career won’t be back in Premier colours next season.
The 38-year-old, who also had a spell as an inter-county footballer, will be best known for his record 73 Championship appearances, a phenomenal feat in the modern era.
One of Tipperary’s most influential players, Cummins shot-stopping ability, outrageously long puck outs (he has won the Puc Fada competition six times) and defensive organisation was the rock on which Tipperary built their team through numerous managers and systems.
A virtual ever present since 1995 (bar a Babs Keating enforced blip in 2007), he will be a hard man to replace. We wish him all the best in his retirement.
