Doyle injury worry for Kildare

Kildare captain John Doyle is facing a race against time to be fit for the Lilywhites' Leinster SFC opener on May 28.

In little over two weeks' time, Kildare are due to take on the winners of this Sunday's first round clash between Offaly and Westmeath and the 28-year-old Doyle has emerged as a serious injury doubt.

The Allenwood ace has suffered a stress fracture in his foot and was a notable absentee from the Kildare team that lost 0-12 to 1-13 to Cork in a challenge match last weekend.

Doyle would be a massive loss to the Kildare cause if he missed the Croke Park quarter-final.

He was top scorer for John Crofton's side in the recent National League campaign, bagging 0-31 in five games, including all but two of the Lilywhites' points in their 0-10 to 0-10 draw with Laois last month - a result which saved them from relegation from Division 1B.