Ryan calls time on football career

Shane Ryan has called time on his football career by throwing in his lot with the Dublin hurlers.

The current All Star footballer has had a frustrating football season spent on the substitutes bench.

The Naomh Mearnog man informed Dubs football manager Pat Gilroy of his intentions over the weekend and attended a meeting of the hurling panel on Monday.

His decision ends a 10-year football career in which Ryan collected six Leinster medals and one All Star.

He can now resume his inter-county hurling career after an eight-year lapse.

"It’s something I have been rattling around in my head for a few months," the 31-year-old said.

"It’s something I thought about most years since I’ve been involved at inter-county level. But it’s a case of ‘now or never’. I don’t want to finish my inter-county career without giving hurling a right go."