Dolan injury rocks Westmeath

Westmeath's footballers have been rocked by the severity of AllStar forward Dessie Dolan's knee ligament injury.

The Garrycastle marksman, who scored seven points in the Lake County's Leinster quarter-final loss to Kildare, will be out for an estimated three months after pulling up with the injury in Saturday's All-Ireland qualifier defeat of Tipperary.

It's a massive blow for Paidi Ó Sé's side, who have endured something of a "second-year syndrome" in 2005 after claiming Westmeath's first ever Leinster SFC title last season.

Dolan, who so often provides their scoring lifeline, had postponed surgery on his knee in order to line out in this summer's championship.

Westmeath are already in forward trouble ahead of their second round qualifier on Saturday, July 2.

Tang club man Paul Conway, a crafty centre-forward, was stretchered off with a broken leg in the first half of the 0-12 to 1-8 win over Tipp.