Mayo duo back in contention

INJURED Mayo midfielder Ronan McGarrity returned to training with the county squad last night, less than two weeks before the Connacht SFC semi-final showdown with Galway.

The 29 years-old midfielder has been sidelined with an Achilles tendon injury for the last ten weeks and did not tog out for Ballina Stephenites in the Mayo SFC last weekend.

However, the former Mayo captain has been following a strict individual rehabilitation programme in recent weeks and will be given every chance to prove his fitness for the June 26 clash in Castlebar.

Dual star Keith Higgins also looks to be back in contention for a starting place against the Tribesmen. The 26-year-old defender returned to action for the first time in two months when he lined out for Ballyhaunis in the Mayo IFC on Saturday evening, after recovering from a torn hamstring.

However, Mayo boss James Horan now has injury concerns over Trevor Howley (knee), Dermot Geraghty (hamstring), James Kilcullen (hand) and Trevor Mortimer (quad), who were due to be assessed by Mayo’s medical team last night.

Meanwhile, experienced defender Ger Cafferkey remains sidelined due to the hamstring injury that has kept him out of action for most of the last two months. He now faces a race against time to be fit to face Galway.

There was better news for Castlebar Mitchels attacker Neil Douglas who played his first full game for three months on Sunday and showed no ill-effects of a long-running hamstring problem. Midfielder Seamus O’Shea (shoulder) and forward Enda Varley (hamstring), who both missed Mayo’s first Connacht SFC outing against London last month due to injuries, also returned to competitive action with their clubs last weekend. Elsewhere, former Mayo panellist Pat Harte lined out for Ballina last weekend for the first time since tearing his cruciate knee ligament 10 months ago.