Dublin star Davoren ruled out for rest of year

PAT GILROY’S attempts at building a new-look Dublin team took a serious step backwards yesterday with confirmation that full-forward Mark Davoren tore a cruciate ligament during Sunday’s win over Meath.

The Kilmacud Crokes player twisted his knee midway through the second-half and was stretchered off. A scan on Monday has revealed the full extent of the injury and he will sit out the remainder of the championship.

Dermot Connolly, Ciaran Whelan and Pat Burke, all of whom had seen their training curtailed by minor injuries prior to the Meath game, have reported no adverse effects after appearing as subs in the two-point win.

Tyrone manager Mickey Harte said last night he’s hopeful skipper Brian Dooher will be fit to face Derry in the Ulster SFC semi-final on Sunday week. But he admitted that the double All-Ireland winning captain’s groin problem will have to be carefully monitored in the meantime.

Dooher was forced to retire early in a club game at the weekend, and didn’t train last night at Cookstown’s Mid-Ulster Sports Arena.

“We are concerned that Brian didn’t come through his game at the weekend, but we have to just manage that,” said Harte.

Justin McMahon has suffered twinges following a hamstring injury that kept him out of most of the NFL campaign, and sat out his club’s league game at the weekend.

But he trained last night, and Harte is confident the All Star full back will be fit to face the Oak Leafers.

“The hamstring that he had earlier in the year, we have to monitor that and make sure that we don’t set it back and have a recurrence of it.”

Corner back PJ Quinn sat out last night’s session due to a back strain, but expects to be fit for the semi-final.

Elsewhere, there was more good news for Cavan manager Tommy Carr after the county’s Ulster Championship quarter-final win over Fermanagh at the weekend, not least concerning chief attacking threat Seanie Johnston.

“We had felt that he wouldn’t come through the full game,” said Carr. “Our physio felt there wouldn’t be 70 minutes in him so it was a big bonus that there was. No major ill effects afterwards. It will take another bit of recovery. I wouldn’t say it is 100% yet.

“Micheal Lyng, who is the other injured individual who possibly could have started had he been at full fitness, should be back in training this week. We will have Paul Brady back from the States as well.”

The Cork and Kerry teams for Saturday’s Munster SFC semi final replay at Páirc Uí Chaoimh are due to be unveiled tonight. Cork are waiting for fitness reports on Ray Carey and John Miskella.

Carey from Clyda Rovers missed last Sunday’s drawn game because of a rib injury and was replaced by Aghada’s Kieran O’Connor, while Miskella was forced out in the second half because of a knee ligament problem.

Kerry will be assessing the knee injury which ended full forward Tommy Walsh’s participation at an early stage.

Donegal half forward Rory Kavanagh is a doubtful starter for this weekend’s Ulster SFC clash with Antrim at Ballybofey.

Kavanagh sustained an ankle injury at the tail-end of the recent NFL campaign and the injury has not responded to treatment as originally expected.

Mayo manager John O’Mahony has revealed that goalkeeper David Clarke is an extremely doubtful starter for the Connacht SFC semi-final showdown with Roscommon on Saturday week.

There is better news for star forward Conor Mortimer.

The Shrule/Glencorrib man played for 20 minutes against Louth before lining out for his club last Sunday.

Mortimer has not played for Mayo since breaking two bones in his hand against Tyrone in April “His injury has cleared up but we have to decide now on the next two stages – fitness and match fitness,” said O’Mahony.

Meath county chairman Barney Allen has called for timekeeping to be taken away from referees in GAA inter-county games following the controversial finish to last Sunday’s Leinster senior football defeat by Dublin.

At Monday night’s county board meeting in Trim Allen suggested that two or three minutes should have been added on at the end of the second half. “This is not the first time this happened to Meath, we have suffered in a few games and maybe the responsibility of timekeeping should be taken off referees,” he added.

Allen suggested that such a motion could be submitted to congress in the future. Former chairman Pat O’Neill proposed that a letter of complaint on the matter be sent to Croke Park but dropped the idea after PRO Brendan Cummins said that Meath could be the subject of ridicule if such a protest was made.