McVeigh calls time on Down career

Brendan McVeigh, Down's former All Star goalkeeper, has announced his retirement from inter-county football.

The An Ríocht clubman made his first senior championship start for his county against Tyrone in 2005.

McVeigh, who turned 35 in April, started in Down's two Ulster Championship games against Tyrone, but was replaced by rookie Michael Cunningham between the posts for the subsequent Qualifier campaign.

Prior to that, he was Down's first-choice goalkeeper for close to a decade, with the 2010 campaign, when the Mourne men reached the All-Ireland final, undoubtedly the high-point of his career.

Despite losing the final to Cork, McVeigh was named as the All Star goalkeeper at the end of the season.

Down are also on the lookout for a new manager after James McCartan stepped down from his role after five years in charge at the end of a disappointing 2014 campaign.