Brendan Bugler confirms retirement with short statement

Clare All-Ireland winner Brendan Bugler has confirmed that after 11 seasons with the Banner he is retiring from intercounty hurling.

The wiry halfback was a key member of the All-Ireland winning team in 2013, winning his second consecutive All Star at the end of that season.

Last year he added a Division One league title to his list of honours, which also include a Fitzgibbon Cup with UL in 2011 and an Interpro championship with Munster in 2013.

He made his debut in 2007 but the 32 year-old played no part in this year’s championship as the Banner lost the Munster final to Cork, before bowing out at the quarter-final stage against Tipperary.

Tories punch down and Northern Irish school sports take a hit

---

Structural changes in GAA will only cause the leagues to suffer

---

Conor McKenna says stubbornness helped him crack Australian code

---

Burns defends ‘reasonable’ new kick-out rule

---

The Whitegate clubman released a short statement on Wednesday, reflective of his no-nonsense approach in the Clare defence.

“I wish to confirm that I am retiring from inter-county hurling with Clare. Thank you to everyone who has helped me on my journey along the way. I would like to acknowledge and sincerely thank my family and friends, teammates and management teams in Whitegate, Scariff Community College, University of Limerick and Clare. Thank you.”