KERRY HAVE BEEN dealt a major setback ahead of next Sunday’s All-Ireland semi-final against Dublin after defender Killian Young fractured an ankle in a squad training game yesterday.
Young suffered the injury in a session that took place at the Fota Island resort in Cork and is now set to be sidelined for next Sunday’s clash in Croke Park.
It is understood that he was removed by ambulance from the venue after suffering the injury in a challenge.
The Kerry county board’s official GAA website confirmed that he will visit a specialist next week but it looks extremely unlikely that he will be fit in time for next Sunday’s game given the nature of the injury.
It is a major setback for manager Eamonn Fitzmaurice as he gets set to plan without the player who manned the centre-back berth in Kerry’s quarter-final victory over Cavan earlier this month.
The loss of the Renard man is a blow as Kerry seek to halt the charge of Jim Gavin’s Dublin side who are unbeaten in championship combat this summer.
The absence of Young will create a vacancy in the Kerry defence that will likely see the experienced Dr Crokes player Eoin Brosnan and youngster Mark Griffin from St Michael’s-Foilmore both vying to become his replacement.
