O’Grady may miss out on quarter-final

KEY midfielder Donal O’Grady is in danger of missing next Sunday’s All-Ireland SHC quarter-final against Dublin with a shoulder injury.

O’Grady was forced off with the problem in the last qualifier victory against Antrim at Parnell Park and the Granagh-Ballingarry powerhouse looks set to miss out.

O’Grady’s A/C shoulder joint was badly damaged and team captain Gavin O’Mahony admitted last night that his team-mate’s chances of being fit in time are no better than “50-50.”

O’Mahony said: “Preparations haven’t exactly been ideal — we have a couple of injury concerns.

“Every county have them at this stage, including Dublin, but they have a couple back.

“Donal is unlikely to make it with his shoulder. It’s fairly serious and he has been laid up since the Antrim game. 50-50 would be generous but knowing Donal, he’ll do what he can to give himself every chance.”

Teenage star Kevin Downes and Paul Browne are other injury concerns for manager Donal O’Grady ahead of the repeat of the 2009 quarter-final between the two counties.

And O’Mahony revealed: “Kevin’s injury is something of an unknown — we don’t know how long we’ll get out of him. If he can start, it’s a plus.”

The losses of O’Grady and Downes would represent a severe double-blow for Limerick. Downes has made a sensational impact in his debut year and scored 2-1 in the Munster SHC semi-final defeat against Waterford.

And O’Grady has been in dominant form at centrefield for the Shannonsiders, registering six points from play in his three championship outings in 2011.