NI stalwarts Hutton and Callaghan retire

Former Northern Ireland internationals Marissa Callaghan and Ashley Hutton have announced their retirements from football.

Both players' careers came to an end before the women's season finale, the Challenge Cup final, between their two sides Linfield and Cliftonville.

Callaghan was suspended for the game after picking up a red card against the Blues in a league game last month and Hutton missed the game through injury.

They have both been key figures in the growth of the women's game in Northern Ireland on both a domestic and international stage.

Former NI captain Callaghan retired from international football earlier this year after winning 91 caps and leading out her country at Euro 2022 - their first women's major tournament.

Callaghan rose through the ranks at Cliftonville and captained the side when they won their first Premiership trophy in 2022.

She played a key role when the Reds won the domestic treble last season and was a prominent player in the 2025 campaign, as they completed the cup double and also competed in the Champions League for the first time.

Throughout her career, Callaghan has strived to inspire the next generation and works as a women's and girls' football administrator with the Irish FA Foundation.

Hutton won 114 caps for and scored nine teams for Northern Ireland and had plenty of memorable memories in a green and white shirt, including scoring on her 100th cap against Wales.

After joining Linfield in 2012, the defender was part of the side who impressively won four Women's Premiership titles in a row between 2016-2019.

She also picked up three Challenge Cups and a League Cup and represented the club in Europe on multiple occasions.

Analysis - Domestic game loses two greats

Lauren McCann - BBC Sport NI Journalist

Callaghan will go down as a Cliftonville legend as she calls time on her lengthily association with the Reds.

A one-club player, whose association with the north Belfast side stretches back two decades, she stuck through the Reds through the highs and the lows, from promotion to the Women's Premiership, to the years toiling near the bottom of the table and then in recent seasons, playing a key role in multiple league and cup wins.

The consummate professional, she was a pivotal player in their maiden Women's Premiership win in 2022 and their 'invincible' 2024 league campaign as the Reds won a domestic treble.

That she was suspended as Cliftonville retained the Women's Challenge Cup against Linfield and her final game was therefore a 1-0 defeat against Glentoran which handed the east Belfast side the league title, is a shame as it robbed her of a fairytale ending but she has lived the dream with her childhood club for over 20 years.

Hutton too will be remembered as a Linfield great as she brings the curtain down on her decorated spell at the Blues.

In recent seasons as captain, she has been tasked with helping rebuild a youthful Linfield side, who have recorded back-to-back third place finishes under Ryan McConville in the last two seasons.

Like Callaghan, she was unable to get the send-off she deserved, with a back injury curtailing her season before the cup final and ultimately leading to her decision to retire.

The Women's Premiership and both Cliftonville and Linfield will miss Callaghan and Hutton greatly.