GAA:Tipperary manager Declan Ryan is hopeful Lar Corbett will change his mind on his retirement and return to the county's senior hurling panel but for now the forward will be given the time and space he needs to concentrate on life outside the game.
The 30-year-old shocked the GAA community this week when he announced he was stepping aside “due to work and business commitments”. He informed his team-mates of his decision by text message.
Corbett went into business with Thurles publican Kevin Coppinger in April.
Ryan today dismissed speculation he had fallen out with the man who scored a hat-trick of goals in the 2010 All-Ireland hurling final.
"We hold Lar in the highest regard and the service he has given to Tipperary over the last 11 years has been phenomenal," Ryan told RTÉ's Morning Ireland. "I was just saying to the players that his record over the last three years, any inter-county forward would be glad to have that record for their entire career.
“He had an excellent year for us in 2010 and he had a very good year for us in 2011. He was probably disappointed, I suppose, the way the year finished up, no more than any of us.”
Tipp surrendered their crown to Kilkenny last year in a replay of the 2010 final when Corbett was held scoreless by the Cats. Despite that he picked up an All-Star award after scoring 4-4 in the Munster final against Waterford.
Ryan added he understood the external commitments Corbett had but that he did ask him to reconsider his decision.
“Work commitments we all know at the moment are very important. I asked him to reconsider and I gave him some time to think about it. He said he had been thinking about this for some time and he has come to his decision.
“I suppose everyone in Tipperary hopes that he will change his mind maybe over the coming weeks and that we will see him in the Tipperary set-up again.
“I think we have to respect Lar’s decision for the time being and give him the space he requires. He’s been a fantastic servant, the commitment he has given to his hurling he hopes to give that to his new venture in business.
“We’ll give him the space he needs to think about the situation as it stands at the moment.”