ALL-IRELAND senior medallist Benny Dunne is retiring from intercounty hurling.

The Toomevara clubman (31), has informed team manager Declan Ryan that he does not wish to be considered for selection in 2012. Sources close to the player have indicated that it was an agonising decision but Dunne has decided that now is the time to bring the curtain down on his Tipperary career.

Dunne, Tipperary captain in 2005, made his senior competitive debut for Tipperary against Derry in March 2002.

His championship debut followed against Clare later that year and in the 2002 Munster final defeat to Waterford, utility man Dunne scored 2-2.

Younger brother of Tipperary team coach Tommy, Dunne made 39 championship appearances for the county’s senior team, scoring 5-31 in the process.

He was sent off in the 2009 All-Ireland SHC final against Kilkenny after coming on as sub but that anguish was wiped away 12 months later when Dunne scored a superb long-range point in the closing minutes of the win against Kilkenny, again in the role of substitute.

Dunne’s last championship appearance came this year against Waterford in the Munster final, when he replaced Gearóid Ryan as a 54th-minute substitute.

Dunne will continue to hurl for his club Toomevara, with whom he has won eight county and two Munster senior medals.