Earley doubtful for championship after back surgery

Injury-plagued Dermot Earley is facing an uphill battle to be fit in time for Kildare’s Leinster SFC quarter-final against Offaly on June 1.

The unlucky Lilywhite veteran last week had to undergo surgery on a back spasm, which he picked up in the warm-up prior to last month’s game against Dublin in Croke Park.

Earley, who turns 35 this summer and has signalled this season as his last with Kildare, had only returned to full training in February having gone under the knife last September to clear up a knee cartilage problem. Prior to that, he had two cruciate operations within eight months.

“Dermot’s under a lot of pressure,” said Kieran McGeeney of Earley’s latest woe. “He had an operation last week and it remains to be seen if it’s successful.

“Dermot’s in a lot of trouble, at the minute. His thoughts are probably to do more with walking again. He’s struggling with a lot of pain.

“He needs time to recuperate. He’s in a lot of pain but we’re hoping that the operation last week will help him. Over the years, he’d have had a lot of wear and tear on his discs. His main priority at the minute is just to have no pain.”

McGeeney rued Kildare’s total of missed scoring chances in yesterday’s semi-final, their third defeat in succession and second loss to Tyrone in three weeks.

“We probably had more scoring chances than they did. Even the ones they didn’t have they took,” he wryly smiled in reference to Stephen O’Neill’s scores. “We dropped ones short. Things like that are killers. Even two points when goals were on. Maybe we need to be a wee bit more ruthless in terms of finishing it off.”

O’Neill’s suspect shoulder hit on Sean Hurley was significant in setting up Mark Donnelly’s goal from which Tyrone took a lead they never relinquished. McGeeney made light of the incident.

“Sean got well plastered going for the ball, we were just watching it again. But those are things that happen in football, you just have to live with it.

“We started with six U21s and they acquitted themselves very well. They were all very, very good. We have to learn to be more clinical.

“When you reach the top level here, every small thing helps and makes a big difference.”