THE INJURY PROBLEMS facing the Galway hurlers continue after attacker Conor Cooney limped off in a club championship match yesterday.
Cooney hurt his ankle while lining out in an opening round tie for St Thomas, who lost out in Croke Park last month to Kilkenny’s Ballyhale Shamrocks in the All-Ireland SHC club final.
It is reported in the Irish Examiner this morning that he ‘left the field on crutches’ when he was forced off in the match in Kenny Park in Athenry.
St Thomas ultimately lost out by 1-17 to 0-14 against Liam Mellows in a game that was a repeat of last November’s county final between the clubs that have won the last two senior hurling titles in Galway.
It is unclear the extent of Cooney’s injury and the length of time he faces on the sidelines but the news will be a concern for Galway boss Micheál Donoghue.
Galway commence their 2019 Leinster hurling championship round-robin campaign on Sunday 12 May against Carlow in Pearse Stadium. They already have to plan without star forward Joe Canning, ruled out for 14-16 weeks after the groin injury he incurred in the recent league semi-final against Waterford which required him to undergo surgery.
In addition Joseph Cooney is based in Australia and Jonathan Glynn is located in the USA, with doubts over whether they will be in the frame for Galway.
If Conor Cooney was absent, Galway could set out on the 2019 championship road without four of the starting attack from their appearances in the last two All-Ireland finals. St Thomas man Cooney hit 0-3 from play in the 2017 win over Waterford and won his first All-Star award at the close of that season, while also starting in last August’s All-Ireland final loss to Limerick.
The injury to Cooney was another setback for his club. St Thomas are without Kenneth Burke after the serious hamstring injury he suffered in February’s All-Ireland semi-final win over Cushendall and emerging defender Fintan Burke, a member of the Galway senior squad, who tore his cruciate in the decider on St Patrick’s Day. In addition Galway senior forward Eanna Burke was unable to line out in that game due to injury.
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