Donegal's twice decorated All Star centrefielder, Neil Gallagher, has become the latest member of the county's 2012 All-Ireland winning team to retire from intercounty football. The decision was announced by county manager Rory Gallagher through the county board in a short statement.
It read: “Rory Gallagher has today confirmed that due to injury Neil Gallagher has retired from Inter County Football. Thank you Neil for all you did.”
Gallagher missed most of last year with a back injury and hadn’t played championship for the county since the All-Ireland quarter-final defeat by Mayo in 2015.
He joins Rory Kavanagh, Christy Toye and David Walsh, Colm McFadden and Eamon McGee in calling a halt to his county career. The unavailability this year of Leo McLoone, Odhran MacNiallais and Anthony Thompson means that there are just six remaining players from the All-Ireland winning team still involved this year.
His high-fielding ability was a feature of the team’s success in both 2012 and when reaching the final two years later. He played a particularly influential role in the sensational win over champions Dublin in 2014, rotating between full forward and centrefield.
His career began in 2003 and incorporated captaining Donegal to success in the 2007 league final against Mayo.
