Limerick's Richie English has decided he will no longer be playing inter-county hurling after nine years with the county. The 30-year-old has retired due to his body no longer being able to meet the demands of the game.
During his time with Limerick, English was part of a squad that won four All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championships (2018, 2020, 2021, 2022), five Munster titles, and three National Leagues. He was also awarded an All-Star in 2018.
In a statement on the Limerick GAA website, English confirmed that his decision to retire at the age of 30 was because his body could no longer meet the demands of the game.
"It is not easy to step away from such a wonderful group, but unfortunately, my body will not let me get to the levels needed for the coming year," said English.
"Thank you to my family, friends, and partner Kathleen for their help and support throughout my career. I would like to thank my clubs, Doon and Oola, along with my underage coaches, for their guidance and encouragement over the years.
"I would also like to thank the current and former Limerick management teams for giving me the opportunity to wear the green and white of Limerick. In particular, I want to thank John and Paul (Kinnerk), along with their backroom teams, for bringing me with them on this incredible journey."
As a captain and player, English also led Mary Immaculate College to back-to-back Fitzgibbon Cup victories and was named U21 Hurler of the Year in 2015.
Richie English confirms Inter County Retirement. Full story 👇 https://t.co/yJWvUhpGNy pic.twitter.com/jIv8eOrLYq
— Limerick GAA (@LimerickCLG) January 2, 2025
English paid special tribute to the Limerick medical teams for their work in helping him stay fit throughout his career. He also expressed gratitude to others associated with Limerick GAA.
"Additionally, I would like to express my gratitude to the medical teams, especially Mark Melbourne and Dr. James Ryan, who helped me recover from injuries during my career.
"I would like to extend my appreciation to the Limerick County Board, Club Limerick, and sponsors JP and Noreen McManus for their support of the team during my career.
"I have been very fortunate to play with an incredible group of players with whom I have shared some of the best days of my life, and to them, I will be forever grateful. Finally, I wish the team and management all the best for the 2025 season and beyond."
Limerick GAA chairman Seamus McNamara also thanked English for his service and wished him well in the future.
“On behalf of the Limerick County Board, I wish to thank Richie for his enormous contribution to Limerick GAA over the last number of years.
"Richie has had a number of setbacks over the years but has always shown great resolve in getting back to the field where he has excelled. He has been a fantastic ambassador for the county, and we wish Richie all the best in the future.”
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