DEVILS are usually condemned in churches not honoured, but former Manchester United player Philip Mulryne looks to be a lucky exception.
The ex-footballer hung up his boots in 2008, and he has just been ordained as a deacon, with priesthood expected to follow in the summer.
Mulryne, who has shared a dressing room with the likes of David Beckham, Ryan Giggs and Roy Keane, only made one solitary Premier League appearance on the last day of the season against Barnsley in the 1997/98 campaign.
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A handful of appearances in Cup matches was all the midfielder could offer to Sir Alex Ferguson, and even though he was part of the 1995 FA Youth Cup winning squad, was sold to Norwich City in 1999.
He made his international debut for Northern Ireland at just 19 years of age, and went on to make 27 caps for the Green and White army, chipping in with three goals.
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The highlight of his career at Carrow Road was helping the Canaries achieve promotion to the top flight in 2003/04 as they won Division One, but were ultimately relegated the following year.
After 161 league appearances with Norwich, he moved on in 2005, with unsuccessful spells coming with Cardiff City and Leyton Orient as injuries plagued him towards the end of his career.
In 2009 he started training to be a Roman Catholic priest, enrolling in the Pontifical Irish College in Rome where he spent two years studying philosophy, before beginning a four-year theology degree in Belfast.
On Saturday, he was ordained by the Archbishop of Dublin, Diarmuid Martin at Dublin's Saint Saviour's church.
The 38-year-old from West Belfast is a member of the Dominican Order, and next summer is expected to be ordained as a priest.
With his old side struggling at the moment as they languish all the way down in eighth spot, maybe the former Red Devil can bless his side to a return of good fortune.
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