A former Manchester United footballer has been ordained as a Dominican priest.

Fr Philip Mulryne, who earned 27 caps for Northern Ireland, was ordained at St Saviour’s church in Dublin by Archbishop Augustine Di Noia, assistant secretary at the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith.

Fr Mulryne, who also played for Norwich City, Cardiff City and Leyton Orient, began his studies a year after retiring from football.

He celebrated his first Mass this weekend at St Oliver Plunkett Church in his native Belfast.