2014 FOOTBALLER OF the Year James O’Donoghue will not be involved in Kerry’s league final meeting against Dublin in a fortnight in Croke Park.
But the Kingdom are confident that the star forward will be able to get up to pace in time for championship with Kerry beginning their Munster campaign on 11/12 June against Limerick or Clare.
O’Donoghue underwent surgery after dislocating his shoulder playing for his club Legion in last year’s Kerry senior final replay.
He had suffered a similar injury against Kildare in last August’s All-Ireland senior quarter-final but was patched up to play for the remainder of the season. The forward has not played for Kerry since last year’s All-Ireland final against Dublin.
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James O'Donoghue receiving treatment during last year's Kerry county final Donall Farmer / INPHO
Donall Farmer / INPHO / INPHO
Anthony Maher and Paul Geaney are other long-term Kerry injury absentees. Maher is another who will miss the league final but Geaney lined out for his club Dingle at the weekend in a Kerry county league game and is closer to a return.
“Paul played county league last night,” revealed Kerry boss Eamon Fitzmaurice.
“We were anxious that he’d get a full game under his belt. Anthony and James won’t feature in the next two weeks. They’re getting there but they won’t have enough competitive football, if any, under their belt at that stage.
“By the time they get back in with us they’ll be fully fit and the only thing they’ll need is football sharpness. James has been a bit of a freak of nature in the past in that he can survive on very little football and get to a high level straight away.
“Anthony has not really been out for any length of time and he has always been a constant in our set up so we’ll have to see how he gets on.
“They will be physically fit but in terms of getting up to levels of football sharpness we’ll just have to wait and see.”
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'James has been a bit of freak of nature in the past' - Kerry star's recovery
2014 FOOTBALLER OF the Year James O’Donoghue will not be involved in Kerry’s league final meeting against Dublin in a fortnight in Croke Park.
But the Kingdom are confident that the star forward will be able to get up to pace in time for championship with Kerry beginning their Munster campaign on 11/12 June against Limerick or Clare.
O’Donoghue underwent surgery after dislocating his shoulder playing for his club Legion in last year’s Kerry senior final replay.
He had suffered a similar injury against Kildare in last August’s All-Ireland senior quarter-final but was patched up to play for the remainder of the season. The forward has not played for Kerry since last year’s All-Ireland final against Dublin.
Anthony Maher and Paul Geaney are other long-term Kerry injury absentees. Maher is another who will miss the league final but Geaney lined out for his club Dingle at the weekend in a Kerry county league game and is closer to a return.
“Paul played county league last night,” revealed Kerry boss Eamon Fitzmaurice.
“We were anxious that he’d get a full game under his belt. Anthony and James won’t feature in the next two weeks. They’re getting there but they won’t have enough competitive football, if any, under their belt at that stage.
“By the time they get back in with us they’ll be fully fit and the only thing they’ll need is football sharpness. James has been a bit of a freak of nature in the past in that he can survive on very little football and get to a high level straight away.
“Anthony has not really been out for any length of time and he has always been a constant in our set up so we’ll have to see how he gets on.
“They will be physically fit but in terms of getting up to levels of football sharpness we’ll just have to wait and see.”
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Fighting Fit James O'Donoghue legion Kerry