"He was one of those players who people came to watch. They just knew that there would be something special about Jimmy on the day of the match." - Ex-Tipperary star Len Gaynor on Off The Ball tonight.
In the last 24 hours, the GAA world has been united in mourning after the sudden death of legendary Tipperary wing-foward Jimmy Doyle at the age of 76 yesterday.
A member of both the Hurling Team of the Century in 1984 and the Hurling Team of the Millennium in 2000, the Thurles Sarsfield club-man was a cornerstone of the Tipp attack from his senior debut in 1957 to his retirement in 1973.
The Hurler of the Year in 1965 won six senior All Ireland titles, nine Munster championships, seven League titles, eight Railway Cup medals with Munster and 10 Tipperary County Championship medals with Thurles.
Incredibly, he played in four consecutive All-Ireland Minor final, losing just one of them, when he lined-out as a 14-year-old goalkeeper in 1954.
Tonight on Off The Ball, we were joined by chief sportswriter of the Irish Independent Vincent Hogan and former team-mate Len Gaynor to look back on Doyle's career and impact.
Jimmy Doyle ©INPHO/Lorraine O'Sullivan
Reminiscing about his former team-mate, Gaynor highlighted Doyle's mastery of the sliothar, speed and control, and looked back on how he managed to hold his own despite his small frame at 5 foot 7.
Hogan also spoke about Doyle's softness and gentle nature as a person and picking up on his point about the physical side of the game during Doyle's time, he said: "It's a euphemism about how robust the hurling was back then. It was a very intimidating climate I'd say for a small hurler."
Hogan added: "There's no doubt about it, he would have been terrorised by certain backs, but to achieve what he did in that era is extraordinary."
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