Michael Murphy has insisted the delay on appointing a new manager had no impact on his decision to retire from inter-county football.
Speaking at the announcement that he will work as an analyst for GAAGO’s live online coverage of the 2023 Championship, Murphy said his decision to retire was made on that disappointing day in Clones after losing to Armagh in the All-Ireland Second Round Qualifier.
Donegal, having beat Armagh earlier in the year in the Division 1 League game and in the Ulster Championship, were well beaten by a shock 3-17 to 0-16 to knock them out of the All-Ireland series.
“I just knew, I knew that time was up,” Murphy told RTÉ Sport yesterday.
“The whole decision probably was cemented there, and again you are waiting for that potential turnaround from it, but it wasn’t there.”
Murphy said he had told new manager Paddy Carr of his decision and spoken to him multiple times after, but he never changed his mind.
And as he had already made his decision, he explained how no managerial appointment could have reversed his decision.
“Whoever was the manager, I’m not in a position where I am able to give (less) than what I know I need to give.
“For me to give Paddy Carr what was required this year, I knew the level it was and I just knew, myself, in my heart that I wasn’t going to be able to give it.
“I need to stress that. No matter who was managing Donegal, I wouldn’t have been playing. It wouldn’t have mattered a jot to me.
“And likewise the appointment of Paddy Carr. In other years, if I was there, I’d be fully behind it.
“People looking at that from the outside may see that as part of the reasoning for that delay, but it wasn’t.
“I was delaying the thing myself. I had the decision more or less made in Clones. Timing wise, you’re looking when was the right time to decide on something like that.”
Gráinne McElwain will anchor the GAAGO programme, with Murphy one of five analysts along with Kerry’s Marc Ó Sé, Dublin’s Paddy Andrews, Seamus Hickey of Limerick and Cork man Eoin Cadogan.
38 games in the 2023 Championship will be available exclusively on GAAGO.
22 Sam Maguire Cup games, nine Liam Mac Carthy Cup matches and seven Tailteann Cup games will be streamed live or on demand in full HD.
