Caolan Mooney has brought the curtain down on his Down football career.

The Rostrevor man cited injuries and the 'essence of time' as his reason for calling it a day in the wake of the Mourne County's narrow All-Ireland SFC preliminary quarter-final defeat to Galway last Sunday.

Taking to X, he said: "A journey that started in 2011 when I made my debut for Down GAA. It’s coming to an end in 2025. Too much time on the physio beds this last two years played its part as does the essence of time. The body can only take so much."

Mooney came off the bench in all six of Down's championship matches this year and made a huge impact as Conor Laverty's men reduced a 10-point half-time deficit to just two against the Tribesmen at Páirc Esler. As well as scoring two points, he had a hand in Ryan Magill's late goal.

The 32-year-old first came to prominence when winning back-to-back Hogan Cups with St Colman's College, Newry in 2010 and '11. He made his senior debut for Down in 2011 before having a spell in Aussie Rules with Collingwood. He returned to help Down to an Ulster final appearance in 2017, and was in an out of the panel after that before making his latest comeback under Conor Laverty.

 

A journey that started in 2011 when I made my debut for @officialdowngaa , it’s coming to an end in 2025. To much time on the physio beds this last 2 years played it part as does the essence of time, the body can only take so much. 🔴⚫️ pic.twitter.com/jCDnpYhPb5

— caolan mooney (@caolanmooney) June 22, 2025

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