Former Down captain Darragh O'Hanlon has been forced to retire from Gaelic football aged 28 due to debilitating back and knee injuries.
In 2019 the Kilcoo man underwent a spinal operation which led to him having a disc removed. After a 13-month recovery, he then sustained a cruciate ligament injury.
He continued to keep fighting as he looked to get back on the pitch but on Tuesday, O'Hanlon confirmed in an emotional social media post that he has had to hang up his boots.
"Unfortunately I have been forced to hang the boots up for good at the age of 28 as the body can no longer take much more," he wrote on Instagram.
"In the last 3-4 seasons I have went through spinal surgery and two serious knee surgeries, countless steroid injections. In the last few days I have had a brace fitted to wear most of the day to tie [me] over until we get married in April and after that I am due to get major knee surgery.
"As much as football means to me in this life it's emotionally and physically tough to let go especially when football has been a massive part of my life since a very young age and watching Kilcoo especially do so well I think what could have been, but that’s life and not everything ends in a fairytale.
"I am in no way looking a sad story... the last 7-10 days of finding out my time in sport is up was tougher on my own family rather than me but I have come to accept it and try now look to the future.
"One piece of advice I would like to offer and plead to anyone who may be thinking of (retiring) or throwing the head up and forgetting about their sport weather it be football, hurling, camogie, tennis whatever. Please, please for as long as you are healthy and able please keep turning up because tomorrow is never promised and your retired a very long time.
"I have absolutely unreal memories, made a lot of friends for life, luckily won countless titles with my club Kilcoo at all levels, represented my county and schools with pride also p****d some people off, lol. I wouldn’t change it for the world and unfortunately injuries come with the sport and that’s an aspect you have to accept.
"Also if any person young old male/ female has a bad injury and feels down and feels no one cares or has anyone to talk to, my phone is always on and I’d happily meet to chat over a coffee."
Defending champions Kilcoo will face Derrygonnley in the Ulster Club senior football final in January. They claimed their 10th Down title since 2009 with victory over Burren back in November.
