ON Thursday morning, Donal Tuohy announced he would be stepping down from the Clare senior hurling panel for the rest of the 2021 season.
Tuohy, who has been on the Clare panel since the autumn of 2009, cited increased work commitments and a number of recent injuries, which made it difficult to maintain a consistent effort in training.
While he has not been first choice goalkeeper over the last year, he had many memorable days with Clare, including the 2018 run to the All Ireland semi final, in which Clare were pipped by Galway. One of his most notable performances was in the 2009 All Ireland under 21 final against Kilkenny, when he made a last minute wonder save preventing a certain Richie Hogan goal, something that sealed the victory and saw the title come to Clare for the first time ever.
In a statement on the Crusheen GAA facebook page, Tuohy said, “I would like to take this opportunity to thank every intercounty team manager I worked with since U-14. I have nothing but great memories of all the teams I played with and the courtesy shown to me by everyone I worked with since joining Clare squads as a young goalkeeper has been exemplary. I hope that my efforts did credit to the faith people showed in me and I was never happier than when handed a Clare jersey.
“I wish every Clare GAA side the very best for 2021 especially the Clare senior hurlers whom I will be supporting from the sidelines. I would like to reserve special mention to my school principal Gerry Kearney for giving me a love of hurling, St Flannans College, NUIGalway and also to my employers Dell Technologies for their understanding over the years.
“I wish to thank my club Crusheen who has supported me unwaveringly over the years and I will give my all to them for the coming years as an exciting new group of players emerge in the club at all levels. Croisin Abu”.
Tuohy leaves the Clare set up with All Ireland senior and under 21 medals, a Munster u-21 medal and a national league. He also won the Fitzgibbon Cup with NUI Galway, and at club level has two county senior championships and a number of u-21 titles.
Owen Ryan has been a journalist with the Clare Champion since 2007, having previously worked with a number of other publications in Limerick, Cork and Galway. His first book will be published in December 2024.