SSE AIRTRICITY LEAGUE Premier Division champions Dundalk will be without one of their key players for up to two months.
Lilywhites midfielder Robbie Benson left the field with a hamstring problem just eight minutes into last Saturday’s clash with rivals Cork City after a tackle from Karl Sheppard.
The 24-year-old, who has become an important member of Stephen Kenny’s side since joining from UCD in December 2015, then went for a scan and found out the extent of the injury.
Benson is expected to be out of action for between six and eight weeks, meaning he misses Friday’s Louth derby against Drogheda United as well as several other matches.
Having won the Premier Division for the past three years, Dundalk currently sit third in the table — six points off leaders Cork, who have a 100% record.
“Robbie got the results of his scan and it’s a grade two tear high up in the hamstring, which rules him out for a minimum of 6-8 weeks,” Kenny told dundalkfc.com. “It’s a big blow for Robbie and for us.
“It was an honest tackle with Karl Sheppard, there was no malice from either side; it’s just the way he approached it and it tore the hamstring. With Patrick McEleney, Robbie has been a little bit under the radar this season but they have been our two best players.
He has really kicked on from last year and done brilliantly. He came back in excellent physical condition this season, he gives a lot of energy and his left foot gives balance to our midfield. He has stepped it up this season and I’ve now doubt he can come back and have a major impact on our season.
“He moved to Dundalk last year, he has put a lot into it here and it’s a setback. He has reached some very high levels this season.”
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