Red Hand star O’Neill set for Ulster decider despite foot injury worry

Tyrone attacker Stephen O’Neill is in no danger of missing the Ulster final on July 18, despite limping off with a foot injury after just 11 minutes of last Saturday’s semi-final against Down.

It has emerged that the damage is no worse than bruising to his heel, sustained after he came down heavily on the firm Casement Park surface after contesting possession.

"He should be OK towards the end of the week, and he’s hoping to play for his club at the weekend," said assistant manager Tony Donnelly.

"He went out for a ball and stopped, using that foot as the anchor. It was a mixture of the hard ground and the way he stamped into the ground that caused the injury. He couldn’t put any weight on it afterwards and obviously had to come off. But it’s good news that it isn’t anything worse than that."

O’Neill is expected to feature for his club Clan na nGael in an Intermediate Championship tie against Kevin Hughes’s Killeeshil next Saturday and it will be an anxious weekend for manager Mickey Harte, who will be hoping to avoid further injuries during a weekend of championship action.