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.