Offaly GAA call for action on spate of injuries to key county players

THE avalanche of injuries that has hit the survival prospects of both Offaly teams in the National Hurling and Football Leagues was referred to at the January meeting of the County Board, with a passionate call for young players to be protected.

The footballers open their Division 2 campaign at home to Louth on Sunday while the hurlers are away to Kilkenny in Division 1 on the same day.

Both squads were promoted last year and are very ambitious but their early campaigns have been hit with a spate of injuries to key players.

Ruari Kelly, David Nally, Killian Sampson, Ciaran Burke, Shane Rigney, Ter Guinan, James Mahon and recently appointed captain Charlie Mitchell will all miss hurling league games as they deal with a variety of issues.

Paddy Dunican and Cathal Flynn are out for the league for the footballers while Dylan Hyland and John Furlong are also facing a few weeks on the sideline and Kyle Higgins has been out for months with a groin injury.

The absence of so many established first team players means that both squads are favourites for relegation and are fighting an uphill battle to retain their status, after working so hard to win promotion last year.

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Central Council delegate and former chairman Michael Duignan highlighted the injuries at last week's meeting. He pointed out that the split season is good for clubs but has really increased the load for county players, with no break as they go straight from county into club action.

Mr Duignan stated that some players are playing for their clubs while injured and then returning injured to county training. “As a result we have a lot of good players injured,” he remarked. “We have to be patient with players,” he urged.

Mr Duignan called for Offaly GAA to host a workshop between clubs and county medical personnel later in the year where they can come up with solutions about how to manage the load of players and avoid so many lengthy injury lay offs. He stated that they have to protect their best players.