Cathal Barrett has been dropped off the Tipperary training panel for 2025 but has vowed to keep fighting for his inter-county career.
The Holycross-Ballycahill defender confirmed to the Irish Independent that Liam Cahill has contacted him to drop him off Tipperary's training panel for 2025.
The 31-year-old has been a key player for the Premier County, winning All-Irelands and All-Stars in 2016 and 2019. He was also named as the Young Hurler of the Year in 2014, having broke through that season as Tipperary played out a pair of legendary All-Ireland hurling finals with Kilkenny.
Before that, Barrett was an underage star in Tipperary making the minor team when he was just 16, before going onto play for the under-21s for three years.
He has been considered as one of the most tenacious defenders in the game.
Barrett has had injury issues in recent times and limped off during Tipperary's heavy defeat to Cork in last year's Munster senior hurling championship.
It has been a trying couple of years for Tipperary under Cahill, winning just one of nine championship games during his tenure. They suffered big defeats against Limerick and Cork this year, finishing last out of the five teams in the provincial Round-Robin.
There has been a changing of the guard in the Tipperary panel in recent times with players like Padraic and Brendan Maher retiring in 2021 and 2022 respectively while Patrick Maher and Dan McCormack called time on their careers in recent weeks.
But Barrett feels he has more to offer and will not join Maher and McCormack in retiring, aiming instead to force his way back into Cahill's plans.
“I am very disappointed in this regard as I feel I have loads to offer but such is life and the decision is outside of my control.
"I’ll work away myself and put myself in contention if needed," he told Colm Keys and Michael Verney.
