Kieran Donaghy could still make return for Kerry opener

Kerry management have said that it is very much a situation of wait and see as to how long Kieran Donaghy will be out for following his latest injury setback.

Donaghy was only 10 minutes on the field with Austin Stacks in the Kerry Club Senior Championship match against Milltown/Castlemaine on Sunday, when he dislocated his shoulder and was taken to Kerry General Hospital for X-rays.

"Kieran came on for us midway the second half, and the groin injury that had been keeping him out was fine and indeed I introduced him as a third midfielder and he was playing very well and everything looked positive," said Austin Stacks manager Stephen Stack.

“But then he fell awkwardly and that was it, his shoulder took a hit and it was obvious that he had dislocated his shoulder. He was taken to hospital, and they clicked his shoulder back in.”

Typically a dislocated shoulder can be anything from two to three months, but Stack is not ruling out the possibility of Donaghy being back for their opening SFC game with Feale Rangers in early June “I don’t know the full extent of Kieran’s injury yet but it’s highly unlikely that he will be fit in time for our clash with Feale Rangers on June 7th. He was playing well for the ten minutes he was on for on Sunday and was really up for it.”

That recovery timeline could see Donaghy play a part in Kerry’s opening match of the summer on June 22nd, when they face the winners of the Clare v Waterford game in the Munster semi-final.

Kerry also have Bryan Sheahan on the easy list after the blow to the back of his knee picked up while warm weather training in Portugal during Easter. Sheehan missed his club St Mary's two-point defeat by Ardfert in the Intermediate Club Championship on Saturday evening, but it believed not be to serious and Sheehan should be back in a few weeks.

Darran O’Sullivan missed Glenbeigh/Glencar’s Junior Club 26-point hammering of Tousist. He is expected to be back in action from a hamstring tear in about four weeks.