ARMAGH GOALKEEPER ETHAN Rafferty is set to undergo surgery this week after suffering a serious ankle injury while on club duty recently.
Rafferty, who plays outfield for his local side Grange, was attempting to run through for a goal against St Peter’s in a league game last month when the injury occurred.
Speaking to Colm Parkinson on the Smaller Fish podcast, Rafferty explained that an opposition player came across to tackle him which caused their legs to get tangled up. The Armagh netminder says there’s no definite timeframe on his recovery but expects he could be ruled out for three months after his brother had a similar injury.
“I think his two legs sort of caught my leg while it was planted on the ground,” Rafferty begins.
“I just remember looking down and seeing what it wasn’t supposed to be, the right shape of an ankle. I went to grab it and I thought it clicked back in at the time. I got into hospital that night and they were saying my ankle was out and it wasn’t fully back in. So I had to get it back in the right place then that night, a fracture on the leg as well. Thankfully it’ll sort itself out and I’m getting the operation now on the ankle.
“I had a few choice words at the time. It was nasty enough. Whenever I looked down, my leg was dead straight and my foot was pointing completely to the right. At the time I actually thought it was my leg that snapped, just halfway down my shin. Being honest I was scared, I thought that was my leg was completely gone. Then when I went to grab it, I could see my foot sort of half clicking. I sort of had the idea then it was my ankle. I don’t remember too much pain until I was getting into the ambulance.”
"Whenever i looked down, my leg was dead straight and my foot was pointing completely to the right"
— Smaller Fish GAA (@SmallerFishGAA) August 8, 2023
Ethan Rafferty on his ankle injury. He's in for surgery today.@AIGIreland
Full show https://t.co/MobvBWbYDV pic.twitter.com/mLzMzlEy8o
Rafferty added that he has required surgery for his shoulder, ankle and knee in the last five or six years. He also expressed his regret at missing out on the remainder of the club championship but hopes to recover in time for the start of Armagh’s season in December and January.
“I want to get it done and then see where I’m sitting then afterwards, maybe it’s a couple of other ligaments need treatment but not surgery or anything. I’ll get this one over me and see where I’m at.”
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