Despite an encouraging display by the Kerry under-21 hurlers on Wednesday night, when they were unlucky to lose by a goal to Limerick in the Munster championship, it has been decided to withdraw the senior hurlers from the All-Ireland qualifiers, because of a lack of interest among the players.

Due to meet the losers of the Ulster final, Kerry have had a poor run of results recently, losing to Down and Westmeath by wide margins in phase two of the league, and then being well beaten by Cork in the Munster senior championship at Páirc Uí Chaoimh.

Team manager Maurice Leahy explained: "Despite a good start to our National Hurling League campaign, and the encouraging display by our under-21s against Limerick this week, we have decided it would be in the best interests of all concerned to withdraw from the senior championship as the players seem to have lost interest.

"We had a chat on the Tuesday night after the Cork game and the players were all for giving it a go and agreed to train on Friday nights with the under-21s. However, on last Friday night week we had three seniors (outside of the under-21s) training and two only last Friday night," said Leahy.

"We decided last night there was no point going on, as many of the players are back training hard with their clubs for the county championship, and they have lost interest in the county set-up. I think this season needed to be concluded as things just were not working out and it will be different next year.

"The under-21s will form the backbone of the team and under a new manager they will be in their own competition and playing teams they can match, I am confident the future is bright for Kerry hurling," concluded Leahy.