MONAGHAN HAVE been rocked by the loss of captain Darren Hughes, whose season is in doubt after suffering a serious leg injury.
Hughes has been ruled out of Sunday’s Ulster championship clash with Antrim after muscle in his right thigh started to turn into bone when he suffered two dead legs in successive weeks.
A scan at Cappagh Hospital confirmed the worst and Hughes has been ordered to have complete rest for four weeks, manager Eamonn McEneaney said last night. Irish soccer team physio Alan Byrne is tending to the player and has warned Monaghan how serious the injury can be if it is not treated correctly.
“Darren suffered a double dead leg, which resulted in calcification. It’s one of those things you can’t do anything about. (Ireland defender) John O’Shea had it and he was out for four months.
“The casing in the muscle calcifies and it’s dangerous, basically.
“It’s a major blow for Darren, he was on the Irish team, and was captain of the Ulster team this year and he is a major player for us,’’ added McEneaney.
Monaghan also have worries over Tommy Freeman, who tweaked his hamstring three weeks ago, Neil McAdam, who has a tendon problem in his hand, while Owen Lennon partially dislocated his ankle in a challenge match against Armagh.
