Lucey says hip injuries new worry in pain game

MIDWAY through the Allianz Hurling League, Offaly manager Joe Dooley reeled off the players unavailable to him due to injury. It sounded like a trauma unit.

The most serious concerns were James Rigney (arm) Paul Cleary (achilles tendon) and Joe Brady (hip) with the trio requiring surgery.

But Dooley’s woes were just a snapshot of the ever increasing list of knocks, sprains, breaks and tears facing intercounty managers in both hurling and football across the country.