David Moran: I almost feel like a family member watching the lads this year

In his first year as a former Kerry footballer, David Moran admits that adjusting to watching matches as a fan has been tricky on occasion.

Especially when things weren't going to plan back in the group phase.

"I almost feel like a family member to the lads," Moran told RTÉ Sport.

"I've known them so long, I'm only out of it a year. If one of the lads isn't playing well, you'd just be hurting. No more than a family member would be, I assume. It is difficult to watch.

"But the last day against Tyrone, everyone was playing well, Kerry were playing well. It was great to watch. You'd just love to be going into the dressing room after the final whistle."

Moran announced his inter-county retirement in late January, a couple of weeks after a majestic display in Kerins O'Rahilly's surprisingly narrow All-Ireland semi-final defeat to Kilmacud Crokes.

Six months earlier, Moran had landed his third All-Ireland medal, after an uncomfortably long gap of eight years since Kerry's previous title. In the process, Moran matched Tipperary hurler Declan Ryan in achieving the curious distinction of winning three All-Ireland medals in three different decades.

While Kerry had been running hard at an All-Ireland final since bringing Dublin to a replay in 2019, Moran insists that it wasn't a case of hanging around until another Celtic Cross arrived. There were other factors in play in his decision to step away.

"I probably thought I was going to finish at the end of '21. But we got to a county final and I got injured. And by the time I got back, I was in good enough shape to keep going into training. It just made sense to keep going.

"I didn't win the All-Ireland (in '22) and say, 'I've it done now, I can retire'. There was part of me saying that it'd