KILDARE have been rocked by news that star midfielder Dermot Earley has been ruled out for the season after rupturing his newly-repaired cruciate ligament.

Kildare will have to plough through the remainder of the National Football League without Dermot Earley after it was confirmed that the influential Sarsfields midfielder has broken his collarbone.

Kildare will definitely be without AllStar midfielder Dermot Earley for Sunday's Leinster SFC opener with Longford in Mullingar.