FORMER Down Allstar Marty Clarke made a surprise return to action for his club An Riocht last weekend.
It is understood that Clarke answered an SOS call to line-out for the Cranfield outfit who were struggling for numbers ahead of last Friday’s Division One clash against Mourne neighbours Longstone. An Riocht lost the game 2-15 to 0-17.
The 29-year-old had announced his retirement from Gaelic Football in March this year on medical grounds and is not expected to feature again for the club. Clarke, whose career included a successful stint with Australian Football League side Collingwood in Melbourne, returned to star in Down's run to the 2010 All-Ireland final,
The talented playmaker and dead-eye free-taker was advised by medical experts in February to stop playing competitive sport at all levels. Three years ago he was diagnosed with the extremely rare Addison's disease, a condition which affects only one in every 100,000 people. At the time, he was still on the books of Aussie Rules giants Collingwood, having returned for a second spell in 2011 following a hugely-successful stint with the Magpies between 2007 and 2009.
