MUNSTER-BOUND WINGER Diarmuid Kilgallen has been ruled out for the remainder of Connacht’s season having undergone surgery on a shoulder injury suffered against Benetton the weekend before last.
Connacht return to Treviso next Sunday on a revenge mission, this time in the quarter-finals of the Challenge Cup, but they will do so without the 23-year-old from Kildare and a number of other players.
Head coach Pete Wilkins said it was a disappointing way for Kilgallen to bring the curtain down on his spell with Connacht where he scored 12 tries in his 23 appearances since making his debut off the bench against Munster in 2020.
“It’s disappointing, he’s had an awful run with injuries over the last few seasons and it’s not the way he would have wanted to finish this chapter, so we are supporting him in every way we can.
“While any of our players are contracted with us all the way through to the summer they will be rehabbing with us,” said Wilkins.
Experienced former captain Jarrad Butler has been ruled out of the trip to Italy as he is undergoing the return to play protocol after suffering a head injury early in the 40-30 win over Pau on Sunday evening.
And winger Shayne Bolton is also ruled out after suffering a thigh injury in that comeback win when scoring a try which brought Connacht back into contention early in the second-half.
“It’s a big blow to lose him. He has been one of the finds of the season for us. We have always known the raw materials were there, but I think the focus and professionalism he has shown this year to start applying that and transferring it to games has been really exciting and impressive and I’m gutted for him that it looks fairly serious.
“He got his opportunity because Mack Hansen wasn’t there and Santi Cordero wasn’t there. Someone else will now pick up the baton, Andrew Smith has done it in games this season and we will roll on. That’s part of rugby.
“I’m disappointed for Jarrad as well with the head knock because he started the game well and he is a big leader for us,” added Wilkins.
Scrum-half Michael McDonald, on loan from Ulster for the season, has also been ruled out until the end of May after undergoing surgery on a foot injury, while a neck injury has ruled tighthead prop Jack Aungier for this weekend.
Irish winger Hansen is on course to return for the URC game against the Dragons later this month, while Puma Cordero could be available for his debut before the end of the season after suffering a serious knee injury in his first week at the Sportsground last summer.
