CONNACHT HEAD COACH Andy Friend confirmed a double injury blow for his side as the new season prepares to hit its full stride.

The western province claimed their second win from three last time out with a 14-38 win away to the Dragons. But the result came at a cost for Tiernan O’Halloran and new signing Paddy McAllister as both will be out until the Christmas period.

“Paddy McAllister, who’s been good for us in the opening three rounds, had a knee injury and he’s going to be (out) until beyond Christmas,” Friend said in an interview with RTE’s Darren Frehill at the Sportsground yesterday.

“Tiernan had a fracture of the fibula and a syndesmosis injury. So he’s had surgery on that. He’ll be around the same sort of time.”

“It’s always sad when you lose players, but knowing they’ll be back before too long there’s light at the end of the tunnel.”

The loss of prop McAllister and O’Halloran’s game-breaking ability will be felt during Connacht’s early Heineken Champions Cup fixtures against Montpellier (home, 17 November), Toulouse (away, 23 November) and potentially also the December back-to-backs against Gloucester.

Friend, whose side take on the Cheetahs at home this is currently also without Colby Fainga’a, Eoin McKeon (both calf), Shane Delahunt (hamstring), Sean O’Brien (shoulder), but hopes they will be back in action next month.

Bundee Aki’s suspension will keep him out of action until the 8 November inter-pro against Leinster and Friend signalled the same fixture might be the time Jack Carty comes back after a World Cup campaign which began its pre-season in June.

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