NEW MAYO SENIOR football team boss Stephen Rochford has been handed an early setback with the news that prolific forward Cillian O’Connor is set to miss the entire 2016 Allianz League campaign.
The Mayo News reports that O’Connor underwent knee surgery recently and has been advised not to return for between five and six months.
That would rule the Ballintubber clubman out of the county’s seven group fixtures in Division 1 but it’s anticipated that he will return for the summer championship opener against London.
O’Connor, 23, went under the knife last Monday to cure a long-standing knee problem and now faces a lengthy rehabilitation period.
He was ruled out for 11 weeks earlier this year when a tendonitis problem flared up during the League clash with Derry back in March.
The Mayo News explains that O’Connor’s training regime had to be carefully managed for the remainder of the season but he still managed to rack up 3-34 in five matches, a tally that saw him emerge as the top scorer of championship 2015.
Mayo begin their 2016 Allianz League campaign with a visit to Cork on 31 January.