National Forum

Longest Playing Careers

(Oldest Posts First)

Has any player had a playing career at inter-county level longer than the great Stephen Cluxton: 2001-2025? No players spring to mind.

foreveryoung (USA) - Posts: 2376 - 12/09/2025 18:21:20    2635912

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Replying To foreveryoung:  "Has any player had a playing career at inter-county level longer than the great Stephen Cluxton: 2001-2025? No players spring to mind."
Christy Ring. 1939 - 61.

BarneyGrant (Dublin) - Posts: 3703 - 12/09/2025 22:56:57    2635929

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Christy ring matches him 39 to 63 not sure if anyone surpasses that

Barrowsider (Carlow) - Posts: 1719 - 12/09/2025 23:07:53    2635932

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Christy Ring, 1939 to 1963, immediately springs to mind. And strictly speaking, he even outdoes Cluxton.

Ring played for Cork every single year from '39 to '62, before being an unused sub in the '63 championship. Cluxton sat out two years for Dublin. So Ring actually played inter-county in 24 different years, while Cluxon "only" played in 23 years.

Pikeman96 (Wexford) - Posts: 3093 - 13/09/2025 01:24:35    2635943

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Replying To foreveryoung:  "Has any player had a playing career at inter-county level longer than the great Stephen Cluxton: 2001-2025? No players spring to mind."
Christy Ring was 1st picked at minor in 1937, Senior in 1939, and played Senior until 1963. I know it's only subjective but in my view the greatest player ever.

Viking66 (Wexford) - Posts: 17052 - 13/09/2025 10:10:58    2635952

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Replying To Viking66:  "Christy Ring was 1st picked at minor in 1937, Senior in 1939, and played Senior until 1963. I know it's only subjective but in my view the greatest player ever."
Wasn't there even talk of bringing him back for 1966 final to beat Doyle and get a ninth!

He was still hurling with the Glen at time so not as mad as it sounds. Doubt he'd have accepted being a sub on that basis.

BarneyGrant (Dublin) - Posts: 3703 - 13/09/2025 12:10:49    2635963

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Replying To BarneyGrant:  "Wasn't there even talk of bringing him back for 1966 final to beat Doyle and get a ninth!

He was still hurling with the Glen at time so not as mad as it sounds. Doubt he'd have accepted being a sub on that basis."
There was! Think he played for Glen til his mid 40s!

Viking66 (Wexford) - Posts: 17052 - 13/09/2025 12:35:06    2635965

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St Osnatts in Leitrim, who are now disbanded as a club, had a full forward line in a junior championship match with a combined age of 160 years.

In an effort to keep the club afloat, they lined out with a 52, a 53 and a 55 year old as their full forward line. That's take some beating, ( as a record for a champ match, not as in beating them on the field of play!!)

leitrim4sam (Leitrim) - Posts: 704 - 13/09/2025 17:32:52    2636008

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Wicklow's Eamonn Murray, born 1933 played for and won maximum honors on the field of play with Kilmacoo, Avoca, Wicklow and London. He played in goals for Kilmacoo in a championship match aged 14, so his senior status started in 1947.

He retired in 1995 aged 62, however he was coaxed out of retirement the following year to line out for Avoca in a semifinal which her did, he scored 10 points 6 of which were from play.

His sporting legacy is likely not to be equalled, so I suggest read his profile.

supersub15 (Carlow) - Posts: 3269 - 13/09/2025 22:12:30    2636039

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Longest actual playing career I've ever heard of was a guy called Mickey Foley who played in goal for Rathnure (hurling) here in Wexford.

According to the club history, he first played senior in 1957 at the age of 17, and then lined out in some grade every single year until 1997, when he finished up in Junior 'B' just before his 58th birthday. Won nine county senior hurling medals along the way between 1961 and 1980, and in three of those years, went on to win a Leinster Senior Club medal as well.

I've heard it said he stood back in goal for the Junior 'B' team again one day they were stuck a few years later, when he was 62 or 63 years old, but I don't know if that's true or not. Either way, it was some going.

Pikeman96 (Wexford) - Posts: 3093 - 13/09/2025 22:20:38    2636040

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Replying To Pikeman96:  "Longest actual playing career I've ever heard of was a guy called Mickey Foley who played in goal for Rathnure (hurling) here in Wexford.

According to the club history, he first played senior in 1957 at the age of 17, and then lined out in some grade every single year until 1997, when he finished up in Junior 'B' just before his 58th birthday. Won nine county senior hurling medals along the way between 1961 and 1980, and in three of those years, went on to win a Leinster Senior Club medal as well.

I've heard it said he stood back in goal for the Junior 'B' team again one day they were stuck a few years later, when he was 62 or 63 years old, but I don't know if that's true or not. Either way, it was some going."
Archie scallan played for the harriers juniors possibly last year. I think he's 63

Doylerwex (Wexford) - Posts: 3920 - 14/09/2025 09:31:45    2636055

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