Another blow for Limerick as Lucey ruled out

LIMERICK have been dealt a massive blow ahead of Saturday’s Munster SFC semi-final against Kerry with the news that full-back Stephen Lucey ruled out of the Gaelic Grounds clash with a hamstring injury.

Lucey suffered the injury in a challenge match at the weekend while lining out for the county hurlers against Galway.

“He has a grade two tear in his hamstring and he’s definitely out now for Saturday”, stated team boss Maurice Horan last night.

“He’s had problems before with that, picking up a very bad hamstring injury nearly two years ago where the hamstring came away from the bone. He just hurt it again in the game against Galway and is a huge loss for us. Stephen knows the score when it comes to championship and is a hugely experienced player.”

The loss of Lucey is a further setback for a Limerick set-up already planning without inspirational midfielder John Galvin. In addition, Horan has further worries over Lucey’s clubmate Mark O’Riordan and long-serving forward Stephen Kelly.

“Our third Croom man, Mark O’Riordan, is now under pressure”, revealed Horan.

“His injury is more of freakish one. He fell on a hurley during the challenge match against Galway with the county senior side. He has a very badly bruised chest bone. Stephen Kelly is a serious concern as well. He suffered a groin strain playing rugby with Shannon earlier on this year and he had got over it before aggravating it again a few weeks ago. We’re going to monitor it until the end of week and give both Mark and Stephen every chance.”

Louth footballers’ hopes of pushing for that elusive Leinster title may be boosted this week with reports in the county yesterday claiming that key defenders John O’Brien and Mick Fanning had returned to Ireland. O’Brien, who was an All Star nominee in 2010, and Fanning, who had a fine summer at centre-back, left in search of work during the winter.

Australia was their destination of choice and there were later reports that they had moved to Boston. It is believed that county officials are currently attempting to discover if the pair are eligible for the senior footballers this year, having reportedly played football in the course of their recent travels.

Midfielder Brian White was another player to emigrate from last year’s Louth side during the off-season but there has, as of yet, been nothing to suggest that manager Peter Fitzpatrick can expect him home any time soon.

Louth get their campaign under way on Sunday week against Carlow. Meanwhile, the Galway hurlers will have to plan without Joe Canning and Ger Farragher for their championship opener in the Leinster quarter-final against Westmeath on Saturday evening.

The two former All Stars have failed to recover from injury and manager John McIntyre said yesterday that neither would start on Saturday in Mullingar. Canning, who has a hamstring injury, may be included among the subs and Farragher, who is troubled by a knee injury, could also be included in the matchday squad.

“That’s as much as we can hope for. Neither will start and we won’t know until later in the week whether they will be among the subs.”