Curran calls it a day
August 24, 2011
Cork's Ronan Curran is watched by Dublin's Conal Keaney.
The St Finbarr's clubman has announced his retirement from intercounty activity. Curran enjoyed an illustrious career at centre back for the Rebel County, collecting three All Stars and two senior All-Irelands.
Incidentally, he was first brought into the Cork panel by Jimmy Barry Murphy in 2000 (making his debut in 2003) and he retires at a time when JBM is being strongly linked with a return to the Leeside hotseat.
The player told today's Examiner: "I had nine tough years but enjoyable years with Cork. I enjoyed every minute of it. I'm sad to leave it but after the Galway defeat in the championship I knew it was time to leave.
"I'm not getting any younger and the legs are getting a bit more tired at this stage. I've played a lot of games in the last ten years or so. I think the time is right.
"There's a lot of preparation involved - you're training on your own in the gym through the winter, then in with the county team early in the year and through to August, September, October with the club.
"It's a long haul with diets, gym programmes and the likes. It's a tough game and it's very serious. But I enjoyed it all. Playing for Cork is a huge honour and something I always dreamed of, and when I got to do it I loved every minute."
Curran intends to hurl on at club level with St Finbarr's, however: "That's one medal I'd love to get, a county senior hurling championship with the Barr's. I'm looking forward to carrying on for as long as I can with them trying to win that. I also want to help out a bit back with the Barr's at underage level now that I don't have to give over so much time to the intercounty team." Tweet
