DUNDALK HAVE BEEN dealt a major injury setback with the news striker Ciaran Kilduff fractured vertebrae in his back.
Kilduff sustained the injury during Monday’s EA Sports Cup defeat to St Patrick’s Athletic when goalkeeper Brendan Clarke collided with him.
The 27-year-old will now wear a back brace for the next six weeks and is facing an extended period on the sidelines.
Manager Stephen Kenny described the injury as ‘complex’ after Kilduff underwent several scans to determine the extent of the damage.
“It is a big disappointment for us to lose Ciaran,” Kenny told the club’s website. “It’s a very unusual injury. Brendan Clarke went through the back of him and that’s left him with broken vertebrae in his back.
“It’s a real kick in the teeth for Ciaran. He came in halfway through last season when there was only a few points in it and he made an exceptional impact. He scored some very important goals in the latter part of the season including a very important one on his debut in Bray.
“He played a huge part in our league win and FAI Cup success with his contribution. He gave us a different option and scored some big goals in both competitions.”
Kilduff had scored three goals in the opening fixtures of Dundalk’s SSE Airtricity League title defence and his absence now leaves Kenny with just one fit striker for Friday’s clash against Shamrock Rovers.
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