Bradley’s cruciate rupture confirmed

PADDY BRADLEY’S 2011 season looks to be all but over after it was confirmed he ruptured the cruciate in his right knee.

The Derry forward damaged the joint playing for Glenullin last Saturday and is a big blow for John Brennan as he prepares his side for their Ulster championship opener against Fermanagh next month.

The former All Star, who turns 30 next month, is believed to be philosophical about the setback.

Donegal are expected to delay naming their team until the weekend as manager Jim McGuinness assesses the fitness of seven players ahead of the Allianz Division 2 final against Laois.

Captain Michael Murphy (dead leg) is rated doubtful, along with Karl Lacey, Kevin Cassidy, Neil McGee, Mark McHugh, Adrian Hanlon and Paddy McGrath.

With just three weeks between the final and Donegal’s Ulster preliminary round game against Antrim in Ballybofey, McGuinness yesterday admitted he won’t be taking any chances in playing them on Sunday.

“It’s a short timespan and we simply have to be careful about who we play against Laois,” he said.

Meanwhile, Mayo forward Conor Mortimer is targeting a return to inter-county action in July after receiving good news from Dublin-based surgeon Ray Moran about his knee.

The Shrule-Glencorrib man is already jogging two months after undergoing surgery on his left knee and will return for strength tests in six weeks. The latest news on former young player of the year Ronan Clarke isn’t so good with the Armagh forward’s return to club action being delayed until next month.

Clarke has been sidelined by an Achilles injury since the early part of last year.

Armagh fans are eager to see the Pearse Óg man in an inside forward line with his namesake Jamie and captain Steven McDonnell. Meanwhile, Monaghan’s Pat McEnaney will take charge of Roscommon’s Connacht championship game in New York on Sunday week.

The game has an 8pm throw-in Irish time (3pm local time).