Speaking to GAA.ie Gavin said he had no regrets about stepping down.

“I’ll definitely miss it, there’s no doubt, but I just feel I’ve come to the right decision.

“It’s getting harder every year. Even though I’m only 40 I’m still 20 years older than some of the players, so it’s getting tougher and tougher.

"I really enjoyed my time, I had four All-Ireland Finals and four Munster Finals. I’d probably say now I would have liked to get five All-Irelands, but when I started off I would have been thrilled with even one, never mind four. So, I definitely have no regrets.”

Brian Gavin's retirement brings to an end the refereeing career of one of the GAA's finest men in the middle.

— Matt O'Callaghan (@MattOCall) January 10, 2018

Asked by GAA.ie to pick out his most memorable match he went on: “I suppose the greatest game ever was the qualifier in 2013 between Kilkenny and Tipp down in Nowlan Park.

“That even surpassed the All-Irelands. Memories like that from games like that are very special and I’ll definitely miss being involved in those.

“I was lucky enough to be on the pitch with some of the greatest hurlers we’ve ever seen. The likes of Tommy Walsh, Seamus Callanan, Joe Canning, Henry Shefflin, all of them.

“And then lucky enough when you get to referee an All-Ireland Final you get to go on the All-Star trip and you get to know the lads a good bit more which is great.”

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