Cha Fitspatrick retires from Killkenny inter county hurling.

KILKENNY’S three-time All Star James ‘Cha’ Fitzpatrick has surprisingly ended his inter-county career at the age of 26.

The Ballyhale Shamrocks man, a winner of five All-Ireland titles with the Cats, informed manager Brian Cody of his decision yesterday. Citing a lack of first-team action, Fitzpatrick relayed to Cody his intention to quit the panel before he organised his squad for 2012.

Fitzpatrick said: "I haven’t been able to nail down a place for a while, and as I don’t think I am getting any faster, it is time to go."

Fitzpatrick also intimated there were underlying issues between himself and Cody.

"No matter what I did in training last year, no matter how well I played, it didn't seem I was going to get a go at all.

"If I was to go back next year I'd find the motivation very hard because deep down I felt inside no matter what I did in training it didn't seem I was going to get picked."

Fitzpatrick featured just once for Kilkenny this past summer, coming on as a substitute in the Leinster final win over Dublin.

Fitzpatrick, who had suffered from hamstring problems, started just once in the 2009 championship with a couple of starts in 2010.

Read more: http://www.irishexaminer.com/sport/gaa/issues-with-cody-prompt-fitzpatrick-to-quit-cats-174656.html#ixzz1eQttUnN2

26 is very young to retire but he did have a lot of injury problems. However it seems a problem between himself and Cody was the biggest reason. If Cody goes(not very likely) I wonder will he come back.

Still won the All Ireland without him. It would be nice if we had the players to be able to leave cha on the bench.

And shefflins out for 6months as well. What age is he? 33? Its going to be hard to come back from that.