Persistent injury problems have forced Cork All-Ireland winner Ciaran Sheehan to retire from inter-county football. 

The Irish Examiner reports that the 30-year-old told manager Ronan McCarthy of his intentions in recent days.

Sheehan told The Examiner: “My knee has got to the point where competing at inter-county level intensity is no longer an option as the long-term health of the knee is at high risk if I continue to play at that level.”

Having been part of the county's 2010 set-up that finally claimed Sam Maguire, Sheehan returned to the Cork panel last year.

However, injury again curtailed his involvement and he played no part in their championship campaign.

Most recently, in Cork's Allianz League Division Three defeat of Clare, Sheehan again suffered a meniscus injury.

Breaking: Knee problems forces Ciarán Sheehan to retire from inter-county football  https://t.co/wu42kgxA7D

— Irish Examiner Sport (@ExaminerSport) June 20, 2021

Just 19 when he was part of The Rebels side in 2010, Sheehan later moved to the AFL where he won rookie of the year with Carlton having joined in 2013.

“I’ve had a fair few setbacks. I’ve had six operations in the last two and a half years, so it’s been very much an up and down career," Sheehan told the newspaper.

“I’ve had three hip surgeries, two knee surgeries and a fairly badly broken nose this year. The hips gave me a lot of trouble early on. In my first year, I had a great start and I played four games.

"I ran into some hip trouble pre-season my following year. I tried to rehab and get it back right but I ended up having to go for surgery halfway through the year. Both hips ruled me out for the year.

“I was fit and ready for the next season but a couple of months in I had a stress fracture reaction in my foot so went into a boot and that flared up my hip which meant I had to get that done again."

Responding to the news, Cork boss Ronan McCarthy described Sheehan as "a consummate professional, and a class act, pure and simple."