TYRONE HAVE BEEN handed a blow with the news that Connor McAliskey is set to miss the entirety of the 2017 season.
BBC Northern Ireland reports that McAliskey received the news after undergoing scans at the Ulster Clinic in Belfast yesterday
The 26-year-old attacker ruptured a cruciate ligament during last weekend’s Dr McKenna Cup loss to Cavan.
It’s a setback for manager Mickey Harte early in the season to be robbed of the services of an attacker that has been a regular in his team in recent campaigns. McAliskey made his 60th appearance for the Tyrone senior footballers in last Sunday’s game.
Last year McAliskey was a key part of Tyrone’s successes. He shot 0-3 in the Dr McKenna Cup final victory, 0-5 in April’s Division 2 football league final triumph over Cavan in Croke Park and then picked up an Ulster medal with July’s success against Donegal.
Tyrone bowed out of the championship at the hands of Mayo but McAliskey chipped in with 0-2 in that defeat at the quarter-final stage.
Tyrone experienced further injury woes last Sunday with Michael Cassidy, Rory Brennan and Ronan O’Neill all picking up knocks in the defeat to Cavan, while Mattie Donnelly is suspended having received a straight red card late on in the Cavan defeat.
Last weekend’s loss also means that Mickey Harte’s side need to win their remaining games against Donegal and UUJ in order to progress to the semi-finals of the McKenna Cup.
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