Former Tipperary star Patrick ‘Bonner’ Maher says he felt he didn’t have anything left to give his county when he retired.

The three-time All-Ireland winner called it a day with the Premier men last October after 16 years of service in the famous blue and gold, having suffered both suffered knee and Achilles injuries towards the end of his glittering inter-county career.

Tipp would go on to win their county’s 29th All-Ireland senior hurling title in the following season, upsetting Cork in last month's final, and, asked if he regrets the decision to hang up his boots, Maher says that his “tank was empty”.

“For myself, last year when I went back, I was kind of like ‘look this is going to be my last year’,” the Lorrha–Dorrha clubman is quoted saying by TippFM Sport.

“The best analogy I can give and the best way to explain in was my tank was empty and I don’t think I had any more in myself to give.

“To be honest, the way I look at it now is me stepping away, I would hope that it would have given a younger person an opportunity to step in and learn the ropes.

“That will build for the future for Tipperary and that’s the most important thing.”

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