Galway football has been plunged into uncertainty following the news that experienced pair Kieran Fitzgerald and Niall Coleman have withdrawn from Tomás O Flatharta's panel.

Coming a week after the county's first game of the Allianz National Football League, the withdrawals come as a major surprise and a significant blow to the county's hopes of making an impact in Division 1.

O Flatharta's first league game in charge ended in a five-point defeat to a Monaghan side who went into the campaign as relegation favourites, leaving Galway facing an uphill battle to maintain their top flight status.

Fitzgerald's retirement from inter-county football is all the more surprising given that the Corofin man was named as one of three joint captains by O Flatharta just last month.

He has been a fixture in the Galway defence for more than a decade, winning an All-Ireland medal and an All-Star award in 2001.

Appointed captain of the county in 2007, Fitzgerald also appeared at the launch of the 2011 Allianz NFL at Croke Park just two weeks ago.

Coleman, meanwhile, has worn the maroon jersey since 2004.

He cited work commitments as the reason behind his withdrawal from the panel.

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