Clare GAA has been left reeling by Tony Griffin's decision to retire from inter-county hurling at the age of 28. The former All-Star admits that the 'lack of confidence' in beleagured manager Mike McNamara played a part in his decision to quit the Banner. "Based on this year's experiences, I do not have sufficient confidence in the current management structure and I cannot dedicate myself to something I do not fully believe in," the Ballyea man said. But he went on to say: "I take a certain amount of responsibility for our poor season in 2009 but feel justified in stating that the correct structure was not in place in order for the team to operate it's true potential. "I have every faith that under the correct circumstances and, in particular, considering the successful campaign of our under 21s, Clare will soon be back where we belong - at the very top." The highly-rated forward said a new business venture was also a factor in his decision. "In February, I launched a sports management business - Sports Academy International - and its continual growth will mean I will not be able to commit the necessary time to hurling that the modern games demands," he added. Tweet

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