Blow for Dundalk as Brian Gartland set for extended spell on the sidelines 

With Faroese defender Sonni Nattestad suspended, Gartland's injury leaves the Louth men defensively short for Friday night's crunch clash with Bohemians

Dundalk's Brian Gartland was injured in the clash with Shamrock Rovers last week. Picture: INPHO/Ryan Byrne

Dundalk FC have confirmed that veteran defender Brian Gartland suffered a tear to the anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee in last Friday night's 2-1 defeat to Shamrock Rovers at Tallaght Stadium.

The 34-year-old was stretchered off the field having gone down in agony inside the opening 30 seconds after attempting to close down an opposition player.

The former club captain will now undergo surgery on April 30.

Asked how long the centre half would be out for team manager Shane Keegan said: "We don't know. We'll get a time frame on it after the operation."

With Faroese defender Sonni Nattestad suspended and undergoing mandatory hotel quarantine at present, Gartland's injury leaves the Louth men defensively short for Friday night's crunch clash with Bohemians which has been dubbed a must-win for both sides after they both took just one point from their opening three matches.

Asked would Gartland's injury force Dundalk into the transfer market for another centre half, Keegan. said: "If there is one that will improve us is the key to it. One that is gettable and would improve us. If there is, to be fair to the club, they’ve always made us aware they’re willing to back us if there is a player out there that can strengthen things but we can’t sign any Joe Soap just because we’re short a player in that position.

"They have to realistically be challenging for a starting place and that you’d be perfectly happy with throwing them in any given week. Finding that person is easier said than done but if we were able to find one, I think the club would back us on that yeah."

Keegan has now challenged Gartland to bounce back in the manner that former team-mate Stephen O'Donnell did in 2014.

Like Gartland, the current St Patrick's Athletic boss suffered an ACL injury in a Good Friday match against Shamrock Rovers but fought his way back to fitness to return to the starting line-up for the title-deciding final game of the season against Cork City which Stephen Kenny's side won 2-0 to clinch the club's first league title in 19 years. Both O'Donnell and Gartland scored that night.

Keegan said: "Brian is doing good. He's about as mentally strong and professional as you could get. That's not breaking news. He's incredibly mentally strong and professional.

"I suppose you are looking at things - although I'm not saying it's a like for like injury - in the same way as what happened here to Stevie O'Donnell and the manner in which that season played out.

"He came off his death bed almost to win the league title. You're looking at it and saying 'is Garts capable of doing similar?' Of course he is.

"He's made for doing something like that so, fingers crossed, things go well for him in the next while."

In better news for Dundalk, Patrick McEleney could return to the fold for the visit of Keith Long's side to Oriel Park having sat out the defeats against Finn Harps and Shamrock Rovers with a hamstring injury.