*Photograph by Gary Collins
Crusheen’s Cian Dillon has announced his retirement from inter-county hurling.
Full-back on the 2013 All-Ireland winning senior side, Cian was Joint Captain three years later as Clare won the Allianz National Hurling League for the first time in 38 years later when managed by Davy Fitzgerald. Of the 2013 starting team, he was the only one not to feature on the county minor panel when eligible for the grade.
Cian lined out at full-back on the first Clare team to win the All-Ireland U21 championship beating Kilkenny. Having been injured for most of the season, he started the memorable semi-final win over Galway and was given the task of marking Joe Canning by John Minouge and his management team. His performances for the U21s resulted in his senior inter-county debut in 2010.
Despite nailing down a starting position under the tenures of Ger O’Loughlin and Davy Fitzgerald at senior level, Dillon was handed just one championship start by Donal Moloney and Gerry O’Connor since they became Joint Managers, that being the 2017 All-Ireland quarter-final defeat to Tipperary.
He spent the beginning of last season travelling while last month the Ballycar primary school teacher married Erinn Hennessy from Barefield, herself a former Clare camogie player.
At club level, the thirty year old has been to the fore as Crusheen enjoyed their most successful period at senior level winning the Canon Hamilton in 2010 and 2011. He will continue to play for the North Clare club.
