Roscommon have received a huge boost with news that Diarmuid and Ciarain Murtagh are to rejoin the panel.
The brothers had told manager Anthony Cunningham that they were sitting out 2020, though Ciarain had also missed the 2019 campaign, when Roscommon regained the Connacht title with stirring wins away to Mayo and Galway.
He was a key player as captain when they previously won the provincial crown in 2017, however, while Diarmuid scored a crucial goal in last year’s final win over Galway.
Despite their regular presence in Division One and provincial successes in recent years, player turnover has been an ongoing problem for Roscommon so the return of the St Faithleach’s siblings is a significant boost.
“It’s good to have Diarmuid and Ciarain back,” Cunningham told the Roscommon Herald.
“Like the rest of the players on the panel, especially those returning from injury, it’s essential that they go well when the club action starts.”
Roscommon are currently in the promotion spots in Division Two of the Allianz League and will see out that campaign with games against Armagh and Cavan on successive weekends from mid-October.
They are due to open the Connacht Championship against London at the quarter-final stage on the weekend of October 31/November 1, after which, if successful, they will play Mayo or Leitrim in a semi-final the following weekend.
