Sunday Mail (UK)

Liam vows to return stronger after injury lay-off

- Steven Beacom

Motherwell star Liam Donnelly has revealed he was stunned when he heard the news that he would be out of action for FIVE months due to a knee injury.

It was even tougher to take for the midfielder as the injury happened during training.

Donnelly, who excelled for the Steelmen last term as they finished third in the Premiershi­p, has been gutted to miss the start of the season and Well’s opening Europa

League tie when they hammered Glentoran 5-1 at Fir Park last week.

He is determined to return for Stephen Robinson’s team next year and make a big impact.

“It is a tear in my right knee and I did it in training when nobody was near me,” said the 24-year-old Northern Ireland internatio­nal.

“I hoped I’d only be out for a few weeks but then I had a scan and it was the worst case scenario. I’ve had an operation and it looks like I’ll be out for five months.

“I was so disappoint­ed when I heard that news because after last season I was looking to kick on.

“It is a massive blow to miss so many big games in the first half of the season. I was especially gutted I couldn’t play in the Europa

League against Glentoran.

“We worked so hard to qualify and I would have loved to have been part of it.” Donnelly admits it will be a slow recovery process.

He said: “I can do very little at the moment. I am on crutches and in a brace and have to rest for some weeks before I can start work.

“It’s frustratin­g but when the time comes to put work in to get back to playing I will be itching to get started.

“I want to return stronger than ever later in the season to help the team as much as I can.”

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DONNELLY knee injury

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