All-Ireland football champions Dublin will be without full back Rory O'Carroll for the entire 2016 season as he's decided to spend the year working and travelling in New Zealand.

Manager Jim Gavin confirmed O'Carroll's decision after his team snatched a 0-12 to 2-6 draw against Wexford in the opening round of the O'Byrne Cup at Enniscorthy: O'Carroll, a three-time All-Ireland winner with Dublin in the full back position, had been toying with the idea in recent weeks, and has now decided to depart.

“Yeah, Rory has decided to go away during the 2016 season,” said Gavin. “He’s moving to New Zealand, so he won’t be a part of us for the year.

“But we wish him the very best. We’ve always said to players it’s important to get the life balance, between family, their profession, and their sport. We will miss him, but we certainly wish him the best, and he goes with the sun on his back. And we look forward to the day when Rory puts on a county jersey again, and his club, Kilmaud Crokes, who will miss him as much as us.”

Indeed it leaves a big gap in the Dublin’s defence as they look to defend their All-Ireland title, although Gavin was not unduly worried: “Well it is a pivotal position, yeah, although maybe more in the past. The game is always evolving, and it’s certainly a position where we feel we have good cover. A player like Rory you would like to have around, but we’ve a big squad, and we’ve always espoused the team ethic.

“He’s a top class guy, a real leader on the field, and we’ve worked with him since the under-21s, going back to 2008. But it’s a great opportunity for Rory to go away and experience a different lifestyle and culture, for a year or two, and it’s a great opportunity for the gap that he’s left, and the different players pushing for that particular position.”