Eoin Kelly (Tipp) retires from Inter County.

[AZOffaly]

It's starting to feel like the end of an era with all these retirements in Hurling and Football. The Boy Wonder himself is the latest to go. In the past couple of years he's been reduced to cameo roles for Tipp, and this is probably no great surprise. Another great player though, and a great servant to the Blue and Gold, he takes with him 2 All Ireland medals and 5 Munsters I think. A great man for a goal, and a great freetaker in his time, he'll be a loss to Tipp, even as an option off the bench or for his leadership.

[orangeman]

What a player.

Was sad to see him not getting action in the final. When Tipp needed a bail out I was thinking, where's Kelly ? But he didn't get on.

Like Walsh for KK, he didn't get the call to arms.

But that will not get in the way of a glittering career in which he simply tortured defences.

End of an era as AZ says. Means we're getting old(er). 

[AZOffaly]

Yes, when a lad that you've known as the 'Boy Wonder' is retiring, you know you're getting on yourself

[imtommygunn]

Great player.

A memory I have of him was in a really tight game between tipp and galway in the quarters about 2011. Paudie Maher was destorying the Galway no. 5 and Kelly spent his time shouting "destroy him destroy him" very audibly to a lot of croke park in your man's face. On his day he was pretty much unmarkable.

Seems to have struggled a lot with injuries and while retiring quite young I think his body had given up the ghost a couple of years ago.

[seafoid]

In Michael Duignan's autobiography he mentions "the likes of Shefflin and Eoin Kelly pucking around in the back " with his 2 sons on the day of their mother's funeral.   

A great hurler as well as a gentleman. 

[gallsman]

Unbelievable player when on form. Never felt he was quite as effective once he bulked up but his stick work was always absolutely magical. He'd had a tough enough time with a succession of Tipp managers over the last 7 or 8 years.

[Premier Emperor]

The best hurler of his generation. It was a privilege to see him play!

[gallsman]

The best hurler of his generation. It was a privilege to see him play!

Delusional as always I see.

[johnneycool]

The best hurler of his generation. It was a privilege to see him play!

He was some spud alright, although I thought the brother Paul was probably the better stickman, just not the same profile as a defender, even though he did have a rattle in the forwards later in his career.

[Bord na Mona man]

Kelly was some player in his prime. I remember him coming off the bench while still a minor in 2000 against Galway, if I remember correctly he was also doubling as the sub goalie.
For a few years he carried average Tipp teams on his back. In the later years injuries took their toll. When Babs dropped him in 2007 it was probably a sign that his career wasn't continuing in an upward trajectory. 5 of his 6 All Stars were won prior to this and we didn't fully see the best of him after this.

[Bord na Mona man]

He was some spud alright, although I thought the brother Paul was probably the better stickman

Dunno. I always thought Paul's swing was very choppy and didn't have a great arc to it.

[johnneycool]

He was some spud alright, although I thought the brother Paul was probably the better stickman

Dunno. I always thought Paul's swing was very choppy and didn't have a great arc to it.

The big C as we say to the kids.


I think he was a left hander which always makes the stroke a bit awkward looking.

[GalwayBayBoy]

On his day he was pretty much unmarkable.

Someone forgot to tell Ollie Canning that.

Buy yeah another great hurler gone this year. Seems like a lot of the old guard are bowing out this year.