KILKENNY’S MICHAEL FENNELLY has emerged as a major injury doubt for their championship opener after suffering a serious ankle injury last night.

Fennelly damaged his ankle while lining out in a club game for Ballyhale Shamrocks in the Kilkenny senior hurling league against Clara.

The 28 year-old picked up the injury to his left ankle and was subsequently rushed to hospital.

The injury puts his availability in doubt for Kilkenny’s provincial opener in Leinster against Offaly in Tullamore on June 9th.

Fennelly has had previous injury problems as he fractured his ankle in last year’s league final win over Cork and missed the early stages of the championship as a result.

The 2011 Hurler of the Year returned to play a key role in Kilkenny’s All-Ireland title win last September and was man-of-the-match in their recent league final win over Tipperary.

He fired two goals in the first-half of the clash in Nowlan Park as the Cats triumphed.

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