Update Mahon could miss the year due to injury
Test results will reveal extent of Achilles tendon setback suffered by key Rovers defender John Mahon
SLIGO Rovers’ preparations for the forthcoming SSE Airtricity Men’s Premier Division season suffered a major blow in the past week following a serious injury sustained by John Mahon, a first choice defender.
The outstanding centre-back is understood to have picked up an achilles injury and the club are currently awaiting reports which will reveal the full extent of this injury.
Should Mahon’s injury require surgery, the average recovery time is nine to 12 months meaning the Sligo man’s best case scenario may be a return to competitive action in October.
This is the second time in the Collooney native’s career to suffer a significant injury setback having also missed nine months of football in 2020 after suffering a broken leg in a pre-season friendly and is all the more frustrating when considering the towering defender otherwise has had virtually no other injury problems.
This current injury – if it is the worst case scenario – will force Rovers boss John Russell to dip into the market for a replacement for Mahon, an area where he was already believed to
INJURY WOE: Rovers defender John Mahon, seen here at The Showgrounds after a game last June, could miss most of the upcoming campaign if his current setback is confirmed as being serious.
be aiming to add depth to with a third centre-back.
One player understood to be on Russell’s radar and already at The Showgrounds as a trialist is Dundalk
ROVERS FRIENDLIES
PRE-SEASON GAMES: Derry City (h), Thursday, January 18 (7pm); Longford Town (a), Tuesday, January 23 (7.30pm); Westport United (a), Saturday, January 27 (2pm); Cork City (Solar 21 Park, Milebush), Tuesday, February 6 (2pm); Finn Harps (a), Saturday, February 10 (3pm).
brother, Tunmise, at Waterford FC in 2022.
He also had a spell in the US with Real Monarchs where was a teammate of ex-Rovers striker Max Mata, who now happens to be a team-mate of Tunmise Sobowale at Shrewsbury Town. Timi has since been playing his trade in Norway’s third tier with Floro SK.
It is understood that Timi Sobowale has not been brought in as a potential direct replacement for Mahon and that his trial with the club had already been planned prior to Mahon’s injury.
It is also believed that Sobowale, who may feature in tonight’s friendly at home to Derry City in The Showgrounds (7pm) is not the only trialist at the club, with another player expected to link up with the Rovers squad ahead of next Tuesday’s friendly away to Longford Town.
Meanwhile, a Rovers return for goalkeeping hero Ed McGinty may also be on the cards. McGinty has struggled for game time at Oxford United this season and finds himself down the pecking order after the club signed a new goalkeeper last weekend.
The Scottish-born goalkeeper is understood to also have been approached by Rovers’ rivals Bohemians and Dundalk but positive talks are believed to have already taken place about a loan deal to bring him back to The Showgrounds.