Former All Star fullback Rory O’Carroll has returned to Dublin

Three-time All-Ireland winning defender returned from New Zealand over the weekend

Rory O’Carroll during a training session at Carton House in 2015. Photograph: Cathal Noonan/Inpho
Rory O’Carroll during a training session at Carton House in 2015. Photograph: Cathal Noonan/Inpho

Former Dublin fullback Rory O’Carroll has returned to the capital from his lengthy sojourn in New Zealand.

The 29-year-old last played for Dublin in the 2015 All-Ireland final. The two-time All Star and three-time All-Ireland winner left for New Zealand in 2016. O’Carroll flew back to Ireland over the weekend and is expected to return to club football and hurling with Kilmacud Crokes.

The south Dublin club’s footballers won last year’s senior county title, and reached last year’s hurling final with his two brothers, Ross and Bill, both involved. Rory has previously won two Dublin club football titles, and in 2009 was a key part of Kilmacud’s All-Ireland winning team. In 2012 he also won a Dublin senior hurling title.

The UCD graduate previously returned to the Dublin squad (and team) for the 2011 season after studying in France from the autumn of 2010 until early summer 2011.

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In recent seasons Paul Mannion and Jack McCaffrey have returned to Jim Gavin's squad after a year abroad.

Eamon Donoghue

Eamon Donoghue

Eamon Donoghue is a former Irish Times journalist