Woe for Galway as Healy out for year

Galway hurler Niall Healy has been ruled out for the remainder of the year with cruciate ligament damage.

Healy picked up the injury during club action on Saturday evening, with Galway selector Damian Curley confirming the corner-forward will play no part in the county’s All-Ireland championship campaign.

The 29-year-old was Galway’s top scorer from open play during the league and Curley said “it was a big blow to the camp”.

Curley added: “He had a scan on Monday which confirmed cruciate ligament damage and so that is the bad news out of the club championship.

“I am absolutely gutted for him because he had been flying it. Niall Healy really put in a savage effort this year. He minded himself and he did everything right. He had a bit of trouble with a trapped nerve in his neck and played that club game through the pain barrier and then ended up incurring ligament damage.

“It is very disappointing and it is hard luck for Niall. We will have to get over it and it does open the door for someone else.”

Also ruled out of Sunday’s Leinster quarter-final against Laois is Andy Smith.

“The half-forward suffered medial ligament damage in his ankle at the end of April and has not regained full fitness in time for the county’s championship opener.

“While Andy is on the mend it will be at least another two weeks so that takes him out of the equation for Laois.”

Ronan Burke (calf) and Iarla Tannian (hamstring) spent time in the sickbay of late, but the Galway selector said both are in line for selection.

“We were happy enough to roll with the fixing of club games. It is not ideal preparations, particularly so close to the Leinster championship. I won’t say it disrupted preparations, but we probably haven’t had the lads in as often as we would like. The club games have to be played and we are happy now that they are at an end for six or eight weeks. We will get into the real preparation now.”