Donegal manager Rory Gallagher will be without Leo McLoone for 2017 after the forward decided to make himself unavailable for selection.

McLoone, an All-Ireland winner with Donegal in 2012, has found himself out of favour especially in the season just past and he didn’t start any championship games for Donegal in 2016 championship. McLoone, was a key man in Jim McGuinness’ All-Ireland winning squad announced his decision to the Donegal Democrat but gave no reason why he was opting out of the squad.

The 27 year old made 12 championship appearances for the Tir Chonaill men last year but most of those were from the bench as he fell down the pecking order under Rory Gallagher. This isn’t the first time McLoone hasn’t made himself available though, in 2015 he made himself unavailable for selection after missing the first half of the 2015 season.

It remains to be seen whether McLoone will return for the later stages of the league or beginning of the championship, but with a talented footballer like him Rory Gallagher will be hoping so.

Anthony Redmond