Big blow for Louth as Ciarán Byrne ruled out for the season with cruciate injury

It’s a second ACL injury for the former Aussie Rules star in seven years.

LAYOFF: Ciarán Byrne of Louth is facing a lengthy spell on the sidelines. Picture: Seb Daly/Sportsfile

Louth’s Ciarán Byrne is out for the season after it was confirmed he ruptured a cruciate ligament in last Sunday’s Division 2 defeat to Clare in Ennis.

After Tipperary captain Conor Sweeney, former AFL player Byrne is the second footballer to be ruled out for the inter-county year having suffered an ACL tear last weekend. It’s the second such injury for Byrne in seven years.

Byrne, 28, returned from Australia in 2018 having signed for Carlton five years previously. He had been approached about returning to the AFL late last year but chose to remain after successive promotions with his county.

Meanwhile, Ephie Fitzgerald makes two changes from the Waterford side that lost to Leitrim last weekend for Saturday’s Division 4 clash against Carriganore. Kevin Sheehan comes into defence for Barry O’Brien and Seán Whelan-Barrett makes way in the forward line for Dylan Guiry, who missed last weekend’s game due to a bereavement.

WATERFORD (AFL v Carlow): A. Beresford; L. Fennell, K. Sheehan, D. Ó Cathasaigh; D. Corcoran, B. Looby, J. O’Sullivan; C. Maguire, B. Lynch; D. Ryan (c), E. McGrath-Butler, M. Curry; C. Murray, D. Guiry, M. Kiely. Subs: B. Kirwan, C. Ó Cuirrin, D. Quirke, R. Stringer, R. O’Connell, R. Browne, J. Devine, D. Fitzgerald, D. Reidy, C. Walsh, D. Quealy.