NO CASE FOR THE DEFENCE

KERRY’S NATIONAL LEAGUE REPORT CARD

KERRY midfielder Paudie O’Connor (below) is set to miss the Joe McDonagh Cup after he damaged his cruciate ligament while playing for his club Kilmoyley during the County Senior Hurling League.

O’Connor injured his knee in Kilmoyley’s game with Lixnaw and underwent a scan on the injury last week, with news coming through at the weekend that the injury was as bad as first feared.

“He got a scan last week and we found out last weekend, Saturday or Sunday,” Kerry boss Fintan O’Connor confirmed to The Kerryman on Tuesday.

“It’s devastating for him for it to happen a second time. It’s tough on him as he was only coming back [from knee cartilage issues]. He’s a real good character. We’re all disappointed and disappointed for him.

“It’s a hard one, but he’s fairly upbeat and it’s up to us to help keep his spirits up now in the next couple of weeks.”

The hurling boss also confirmed that the hurlers have made the new Kerry GAA Centre of Excellence at Currans their base ahead of the McDonagh Cup, which gets underway at the beginning of May with the Kingdom away to Carlow.

“It’s brilliant to have a central base,” he said. “The quality of the facility is worth the extra five or ten minutes in the car, it’s just outside Tralee and the facilities must be amongst the best in the country.”

Training alongside the football teams – senior and underage – is a boost too O’Connor suggests.

“There’s a culture of excellence there. The professionalism is a good example.”