Donal Óg facing six months on sideline

Donal Óg Cusack faces a six month lay-off from hurling after rupturing his achilles tendon in Sunday’s Allianz Hurling League semi-final against Tipperary on Sunday.

The Cork goalkeeper took to twitter to confirm the seriousness of his season ending injury: “Complete rupture Achilles. Op l8r today. Thks 2medics, officials & gardaí at Semple. Also Tom Barry & Sean Allen.Thks 2all 4kind msges also”.

The injury, an extremely painful one, usually necessitates surgery which repairs the rupture and intensive physiotherapy follows to aid recovery.

Munster rugby star Doug Howlett has missed most of the current season with the southern province with a similar injury but provincial chiefs are so confident the New Zealander will make a full recovery that his contract has been extended.

Other well-known sportspeople to have suffered the injury include David Beckham, who ruptured his achilles two years ago, at the age of 34, and managed to make a full recovery; American football star Lawrence Taylor also overcame an achilles rupture in his thirties to return to fitness.