We interrupt this Leicester city broadcast to bring you the news that ex-Munster hooker Denis Fogarty has today announced his retirement from rugby. Fogarty spent eight years at Munster before moving to the French second division in 2012, playing with Aurillac, Agen and, most recently, Provence Rugby.
Fogarty announced his retirement on twitter:
This day has been coming for a while, now it's official...... #retirement #happymemories #lookingahead #eyesforward pic.twitter.com/8NE9iACzuS
— Denis Fogarty (@denisfogs) May 3, 2016
Fogarty has never been capped by Ireland, although he made 91 appearances for Munster, and was on the bench for Munster's Heineken Cup victory over Biarritz in 2006. Fogarty replaced Frankie Shehan for the final twenty minutes of one of Munster's final great stands, in that narrow defeat to New Zealand at Thomond Park back in 2008.
Fogarty's brother John was forced to retire from rugby in 2010 through repeated concussions, and now Denis has called time on his career owing to a reoccurrence of a shoulder injury.
Having become first choice with Munster in 2009 - owing to an injury to Jerry Flannery - Fogarty signed a new, two-year contract, only to suffer an injury which left him fourth-choice upon his return, behind Flannery, Damien Varley, and Mike Sherry. While Fogarty was offered a new contract by Munster,he turned it down and moved to France to seek regular, first-team rugby.
Denis Fogarty retires at the age of 32, with two Celtic League medals, one Heineken Cup along with the Churchill Cup medal won by Ireland 'A' in 2009.
[Irish Examiner]
