Reilly out for Royals

KEVIN REILLY will miss the remainders of Meath’s NFL campaign and there are fears about the defender’s championship participation.

The Navan O’Mahony’s full-back underwent surgery on a back complaint before Christmas and the injury has been slow to settle.

With Meath struggling defensively in recent weeks, Reilly would be a welcome boost but the player is now facing a race against time to be fit for the Leinster SFC showdown with Offaly on May 23.

Meath manager Eamonn O’Brien said: “Kevin missed most of last year and he’s still out. We’re hoping he’ll come right but he’s definitely out for the league. With the championship, it’s a question mark at this stage. We don’t know. He’s had the operation on his back and we’ll have to wait and see how it settles. But we need our full panel to pick from and we’re no different from any team in that respect.”

Forward David Bray limped off in stoppage time at the end of last Sunday’s disappointing defeat against Tipperary and a knee injury will be assessed by medics tomorrow.

However, initial indications are that the Navan O’Mahony’s star has only sustained bad bruising. Meath’s other main injury worry is defender Cormac McGuinness, who is still working his way back to fitness following a groin injury, but the return of Shane O’Rourke last Sunday was a massive boost.

Another defensive rock, Caoimhín King, is also set for an imminent return to the Meath panel after returning home from a spell in Australia.

King has played for his club Dunshaughlin and will look to recapture top fitness and match sharpness when he returns to the county squad.