Just three weeks out from their opening game of this year's Leinster Football Championship and Carlow have suffered a major blow.
The Irish Independent's Colm Keys reports that Brendan Murphy will not be part of the Carlow squad this summer. The star midfielder will be spending the summer in the US.
"It's disappointing but we understand the situation he is in. We wish him the best of luck," Carlow manager Turlough O'Brien told the Irish Independent.
"It's a personal decision. The rule book doesn't allow for that. Smaller counties are probably affected more than the larger counties."
Murphy was hugely influential as O'Brien's side this year earned promotion to Division Three of the Allianz Football League for the first time in 33 years.
"This is huge, this is our All-Ireland," Murphy declared on Twitter after claiming promotion.
Murphy previously spent two years in Australia with the Sydney Swans in the late 2000.
Carlow play Louth at O’Moore Park on May 13th in the opening round of the Leinster Championship.
Photo by Matt Browne/Sportsfile
