JAMES “CHA” FITZPATRICK defended his shock decision to retire from inter-county hurling and poured cold water on talk of a comeback last night.
After a short but successful career in which he won five All-Ireland titles, the 26-year-old Kilkenny star announced yesterday that he was hanging up his boots, frustrated by his inability to hold down a place in the Cats’ starting XV.
“I’ve been giving it much consideration for a while,” Fitzpatrick told RTÉ’s Sport at 7 last night.
“I came into the season just gone and I said to myself it’s either make or break. Either I nail down a place in the team or I’m going to to move on.
At the end of the season, every player has to take stock and I’ve come to my decision.
Fitzpatrick has already made it clear that he intends to take advantage of his new-found freedom and spend next summer travelling, but there has been some speculation that he might be tempted to reconsider after a break from the game.
Reports this morning suggested that the three-time All-Star might opt for a new challenge with Dublin, where he is currently working as a teacher.
But the chances of a comeback, Fitzpatrick admitted last night, will become less and less likely as he gets older.
“No matter what I did in training last year, no matter how well I played, it seemed like I wasn’t going to get a go at all.”
If I went back next year, I’d find the motivation very hard. Deep down inside, I felt that no matter what I did in training, it didn’t seem I was going to get picked.
“I’m going to draw a line in the sand.
“Obviously I’ve great hurling and great vision on the pitch, but the way the game is gone, it’s huge fitness levels and speed and all that. That’s one area that has gone against me.”
