John Leahy will be out of hurling for a year. The dreaded news emerged yesterday after the Tipperary hurling icon had undergone surgery in Waterford for the knee injury sustained in the championship battle with Clare last weekend.
"John has had an operation to rebuild his cruciate ligament," said county PRO Liz Howard. "He'll be out for a year but he's only 31 in September and we're sure he'll be back in the blue and gold next year."
This is a major loss for Tipperary who will face either Limerick or Waterford in next month's Munster final. Leahy was bothered by injury throughout this year's National League but was fit again for the championship.
In a mildly controversial move - given the player's great form in last year's championship - manager Nicky English didn't start Leahy on Sunday. But Leahy raised the roof in Pairc Ui Chaoimh when introduced as a substitute just after the start of the second half.
Unfortunately he lasted only a minute before twisting the knee in an awkward fall. Although it was immediately feared that the injury was serious, yesterday's confirmation will be a big knock for Tipp's morale, as Leahy would have been expected to make a significant contribution to what is likely to be a lengthy championship.
Meanwhile, the Games Administration Committee of the GAA have announced details of suspensions imposed earlier this week. Ronan Coffey of Wicklow is particularly unlucky as his four-week suspension runs out tomorrow night, hours after his team's All-Ireland qualifier first round against Longford in Aughrim. The suspension was picked up in respect of the Leinster championship replay with Carlow on 20th May.
Willie McCreery, the Kildare midfielder, will miss the Leinster champions' provincial semi-final against Meath on June 24th. He was sent off in last Sunday's first round against Carlow and is out for four weeks from that date.
Roscommon goalkeeper Shane Curran will be available from tomorrow as his four-week suspension, picked up against New York, expires then.
Tomorrow's National Hurling League Division Two final between Kerry and Westmeath, scheduled for Clonmel, has been postponed. Kerry had been unhappy about the fixture because a number of their hurlers are on holiday. The problem arose from the postponed league programme during the foot-andmouth crisis. Originally fixed for May, the Division Two final had to be put back to accommodate the regulation matches.
Kerry county secretary Tony O'Keeffe said: "We have been trying to get an alternative date, but once a county finalises its schedule of fixtures there's a knock-on effect with something like this. This weekend didn't suit because the players - and the coach - were away. They planned on the basis that the All-Ireland B was starting in July and training was to start in mid-June. The GAC obviously want the final played as soon as possible but they are flexible on this and Westmeath have been very accommodating."
