‘Normally at this stage, we’re on holidays’, says Aidan Carr

Aidan Carr considered walking away. Eleven seasons under his belt and the birth of his first child before Christmas had retirement playing on his mind.

But given 2016 had been so dire from a Down perspective — the county lost all seven of their national league games in Division 1, fell to Monaghan by 19-points in Ulster and then exited the championship at home to Longford — Carr didn’t want to be seen as jumping from a sinking ship. A few words of advice from his wife, Mary, and his mind was made up.

“The two of us had a chat about I going back and she said: ‘Listen, Aidan, I’m never going to tell you not to go back, I know how much you love it. But if you’re going back, I want you to do it full-out, don’t go back and have regrets about it.”