Galway hurler Joe Rabbitte confirmed that he has withdrawn from the county panel to take a break from the game. He denied that his relationship with team manager Mattie Murphy is bad or that it had anything to do with his decision.

"I just feel I'm not doing myself justice," Rabbitte said. "I'm only half-right and in the past I've played on like that too often. I didn't have the hunger for the game. There's no problem with Mattie Murphy whatsoever - or anyone else. The only one I've a problem with is myself. I hadn't the hunger.

"The club goes to the (county) semi-final or final nearly every year and between club and county, I've been 10 years in senior hurling, 10 years of unsuccessful hurling except for a league (1996). It'd be alright if you'd an All-Ireland medal or two."

Rabbitte took the decision last week. He had come on as a substitute in the county's first National Hurling League match against Offaly and says that he felt a loss of appetite for the game.

It was suggested that the player had been annoyed by his omission from the starting line-up, an annoyance exacerbated by his continuing exclusion for the Clare match. Rabbitte denies this.

"There has been speculation that the reason for my taking a break is that I wasn't picked on the team. The only reason I'm taking calls from the national media is because I want to say that that isn't true.

"No one can expect to be on a team and being left out would only be a bigger motivation for me to get back. I just didn't feel the urge coming back after the disappointment that the All-Ireland (club) semi-final ended up the way it did."

His club side Athenry endured huge disappointment in last month's All-Ireland club hurling semi-final. Beaten by a point by Clare champions St Joseph's Doora-Barefield, the Galway club agonised over lodging an objection on the grounds that they had had a legitimate point disallowed.

Rabbitte's current desire to take a break appears to have been influenced by this termination of Athenry's campaign to regain the All-Ireland crown they won in 1997.

"We worked through January and February for the club All-Ireland and the way it ended was a kick in the teeth. I just want time to get myself together."

The timing of the withdrawal is puzzling. Only last week, he was presented with an award for being the outstanding hurler in the Connacht club championship. Rabbitte doesn't believe that his own form is that important.

"If I was in the worst of form and the team were in an All-Ireland final, I wouldn't care."

Galway selector and former manager Jarlath Cloonan is also secretary of the Athenry club but declines to deviate from the management line: "Joe Rabbitte has taken this decision for personal reasons. We regret that any player feels he has to leave the panel because Galway could do with having all players available."

The county has been further hit by the withdrawal from the panel of goalkeeper Kevin Devine. County manager Mattie Murphy and his selectors had decided to alternate goalkeepers Devine and Damien Howe. Devine, however, is unhappy with this arrangement - particularly after playing well against Offaly - and has pulled out of county involvement.

"Both goalkeepers are new," says Cloonan, "and the only way to make a decision is to rotate them and see how they perform in the heat of matches. Kevin was in goal against Offaly, Damien was picked the match before, against Tipperary (Oireachtas final)."

Cloonan went on to take issue with coverage of Galway's league campaign and to point out that there was good news in the pipeline for the county as well as the disappointing news of players' unavailability.

"We are being written off as being grand in the league and then not able to do it during the summer. Last year went badly for the county but other than that in recent years, we haven't been far off the championship pace.

"This is a good young team and players are coming back. Liam Burke is getting over a back injury, Michael Donoghue will be involved with us again, so will Conor O'Donovan, Peter Huban and Padraig Kelly who was picked to play against Offaly but picked up an injury."

Rabbitte has no clear idea of when or if he will return to the fold. The furore triggered by his decision has taken him by surprise and he isn't taking his intercounty future for granted.

"If I'd known this time last week that there would be the fuss there's been over this, I wouldn't have dropped out at all. What I'll do is go back with the club - and with Pat Nally (Athenry manager), that could be anytime.

"If the county want me back in a month or two and ask me back, I'm sure I'll be there. If they don't, so be it. It won't be the end of the world."

Isn't that an ominously diffident attitude to whether he plays for the county again. Could this break turn out to be a retirement?

"Ah no. When I get the smell of grass being cut on a fine summer's evening, I'm sure I'll get the hunger back."