Hurler of the Year Michael Fennelly has not given up hope of seeing James 'Cha' Fitzpatrick and John Dalton in the yellow and black of Kilkenny again.
Just months after helping Kilkenny to another All-Ireland SHC title, Fitzpatrick, 27, and Dalton, 26, shocked their team-mates by calling time on their inter-county careers. A lack of game time prompting Fitzpatrick to turn his back on the Cats, while Dalton followed him into retirement, citing work commitments as the reason for his departure.
Fennelly admits both players will be a huge loss to Kilkenny but while he understands their decisions he is refusing to believe that they will never play for the Cats again.
"From John's side of things, it was a surprise but we have to respect his decision and he has the farm at home with his father," Fennelly said.
"It's a personal decision and it was a shock to the lads but hopefully we could see him wearing the county colours again."
Fennelly admits Fitzpatrick had grown tired of spending more and more time on the bench just a couple of years after captaining his county.
"With Cha, again it was a personal choice. He went from being on a high - three All Stars and captain - to being on the bench. I was the opposite. I was on the bench before finding a place on the team," he is quoted as saying in the Irish Daily Star.
"And after playing and winning All Stars, finding himself on the bench was very tough.
He felt he had to go but two years down the line, you could see him wearing the jersey again, you just don't know."