Paul Galvin returns to Kerry panel

By John Fogarty, Irish Examiner

Four-time All-Ireland winner Paul Galvin has made a shock return to the Kerry panel, it has been announced this evening.

Thirteen months after he confirmed his retirement from inter-county football, the 2009 footballer of the year, now 35, has rejoined his brother-in-law Eamonn Fitzmaurice's All-Ireland winning squad.

Three-time All Star Galvin seemed to have move on from football although his affection for the game was still extremely clear in his well-received autobiography In My Own Words, released last October.

In a brief statement on the Kerry website, Fitzmaurice said: "Paul Galvin has rejoined the Kerry Senior Football squad and resumed training this evening".

Statement of Eamon Fitzmaurice Manager of Kerry Senior Football team... http://t.co/nwi9jfMahX

— Kerry GAA (@Kerry_Official) March 3, 2015

Fitzmaurice revealed Galvin's decision to step away following their Division 1 game against Dublin last February just as the player was issuing a statement on Twitter, citing work commitments. Galvin is also living in the capital.

However, the manager also said he still felt the player had a role in the panel. "I think he could have done a couple of jobs for us," Fitzmaurice said at the time.

"We were looking at him in the half-back line and I think he could have done his old role in the half-forward line. He mightn't have been a starter all of the time.

"Like, he's 34 years of age - the way he played the game for a lot of years he took a lot of knocks. He minds his body very well, he lives like a monk but at the same time it required a lot of taking care of as well."