There aren’t too many inter-county players who could step away at the age of 39 and hope to be called back.
It’s the other way around in Stephen Cluxton’s case as with Dessie Farrell confirming that the legendary goalkeeper has stepped away but hasn’t retired, Dublin will be the ones doing the hoping.
It was after Dublin’s 0-15 0-7 win over Wexford in the Leinster championship when Farrell answered the question on everybody’s lips to tell reporters that his former teammate is taking some time out to ‘re-generate the appetite.’
“Stephen isn’t with us at the moment. He has gone back to his club. He’s taking time to heal the body,” Farrell began, “To re-generate the appetite. I don’t know to be honest whether Stephen will be back or not.
“But he’s not retired, he has just stepped away.”
“We have spoken about it as a group and given the service he has given us over the years, he deserves that respect and that time and space to make up his mind.”
JUST IN: Dublin boss Dessie Farrell tells us that Stephen Cluxton has stepped away from the squad, but has NOT retired pic.twitter.com/ojppmmwvHg
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Evan Comerford was the man who stepped into take Cluxton’s place in their championship opener in Wexford Park on Sunday, where Dublin were subdued by a gallant Wexford effort. The Dubs still won the game by seven points but that was some seventeen points short of the bookmakers spread which, in most of these Leinster championship games, they push all the way.
Having kicked 0-7, Cormac Costello was the key man for the champions who will now face Meath in the Leinster semi-final in a fortnight’s time.
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