Six of the best: GAA player comebacks

Hopes will be high in Donegal that Michael Murphy can lead them back to the promised land after it emerged that the three-time All-Star forward is set for a sensational return in 2025.

The now 35-year-old retired from inter-county football two years ago, having captained the county to Sam Maguire and won five Ulster championships over 15 seasons in green and gold .

But the return of Jim McGuinness as manager, and this year's Ulster SFC victory/run to the All-Ireland SFC semi-finals, appear to have prompted a change of heart.

Here, RTÉ Sport looks at six of the most successful player second acts in modern Gaelic games history.

Stephen Cluxton & Co

In December 2020, Stephen Cluxton cemented his status as the greatest goalkeeper football had ever seen by captaining Dublin to a seventh All-Ireland title, a record sixth in a row and his eighth in total.

Then the 2019 Footballer of the Year vanished from the inter-county scene for 27 months.

Presumed retired, but having characteristically declined to make any such public confirmation, it was a huge surprise when the then 41-year-old returned to Dessie Farrell's panel for a league fixture against Louth in March 2023.

Former Footballer of the Year Jack McCaffrey and three-time All-Star Paul Mannion also returned last year, after absences of three and two seasons respectively, as the Dubs reclaimed Sam.

The triumph made Cluxton, Michael Fitzsimons and captain James McCarthy the first male footballers to win nine All-Irelands.

McCarthy called time on his inter-county career this week, and there is speculation that Cluxton might follow suit.

Though don't expect him to announce it if he does.

Brian Corcoran

At the age of 26 the gifted Cork dual player announced his complete retirement from