The retirement blows just keep coming for Donegal.
Midfield giant Neil Gallagher is now the sixth member of their 2012 All-Ireland winning team to hang up his boots for good.
A persistent back injury has caused the 33-year-old to depart the intercounty scene, 12 years after he made his championship debut against Armagh.
The Glenswilly clubman captained the county to National League success in 2007, before playing a major role in their success this decade, winning three Ulster titles, an All-Ireland, and being picked to the All-Stars team in 2012 and 2014.
Some man for one man @neilgerardgalla pic.twitter.com/ccUzvKXo3l
— Michael Murphy (@murphm95) February 20, 2017
His retirement is the latest in a series of blows manager Rory Gallagher's panel have been hit with since the summer.
He's the sixth member of the 2012 All-Ireland winning side to retire in recent months, following Colm McFadden, Eamonn McGee, Rory Kavanagh, Christy Toye and David Walsh out of the game.
Two other members of the 2012 side have departed the panel for the season, with Leo McLoone and Anthony Thompson opting out. Thompson may appear again later this year though.
And Odhran MacNiallais has also decided to make himself unavailable for personal reasons.
A year of transition may be ahead in the north-west.
