Leo McLoone (born 1989) is an Irish Gaelic footballer who plays for Naomh Conaill and also, formerly, the Donegal county team.
He was "the last of that famous Naomh Conaill four that also included Anthony Thompson, Dermot Molloy and Marty Boyle" to retire from inter-county football, doing so, as has been his custom, without making a public announcement.
[5] As a 16-year-old, McLoone was introduced as a substitute in the final of the 2005 Donegal Senior Football Championship (SFC), which the club won for the very first time.
[14] The club retained the Donegal SFC title in 2020, with the final being delayed until August 2021 due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on Gaelic games.
[17][18][19] Ahead of the 2023 final, McLoone (alongside Marty Boyle, Stephen McGrath, Anthony Thompson and Eoin Waide) was recognised for making a 100th club championship appearance.
[21] McLoone played in the Ulster Minor Football Championship final as Donegal won a first such title in 10 years at Croke Park in 2006.
[26] McIver's successor John Joe Doherty gave McLoone his first start during a 2009 All-Ireland SFC qualifier win against Carlow at MacCumhaill Park.
[27] Then, upon returning to the game, he sustained a horrific injury during a club meeting between Naomh Conaill and Glenswilly; a double fracture of his eye socket which required surgery.
[27][30] On 16 June 2012, he scored an important goal against Derry to help Donegal through to an Ulster Senior Football Championship semi-final meeting with Tyrone.
[47] Though initially thought doubtful for the National Football League opener against Kerry, McLoone started and completed most of the game, before making way for Jason McGee late on.
[56] McLoone made a late substitute appearance against Clare in the opening fixture of the 2019 National Football League in Ennis.
[66] He decided to retire from inter-county football at the age of 30 at the end of the 2019 season, but this only became public knowledge much later (though manager and teammates were aware).
[4] Declan Bonner confirmed McLoone had retired while speaking at a press event on 25 January 2020 ahead of Donegal's second National Football League game of the season, away to Meath.