Fresh injury rules Cats’ Delaney out for season

THE ‘Mr Unfortunate’ of the Kilkenny hurling panel has had his season destroyed by injury...for the third consecutive year.

PJ Delaney, who has shown promise in each of the last three leaguecampaigns has been forced offthe panel after undergoing surgery this week.

The Fenians (Johnstown) man had an operation to correct a troublesome hip joint, and he faces a second one in two months time to correct the other hip. Delaney has been plagued by ongoing groin and hamstring problems for years, and the medical team feel they might have pinpointed the source of the trouble.

“The season is over for me,” said the 27-year-old.

“One year I would just like to get a break to see what I am really capable of doing. The battle I face to recover doesn’t scare me. I have been here before, and I intend to come back.”

Delaney’s broke his leg last year and shattered an ankle the year before. After being invited into the squad in 2006, he was told by a specialist that he would need an operation on the groin to correct a long standing injury. The following year he had a second operation on the groin.

“I have had more than my share of bad injuries, but hopefully after the next surgery I will be able to get back playing,” said Delaney.

“It is hard to credit what PJ has had to put up with,” said Kilkenny manager, Brian Cody.