Promising young Wexford hurler Rory Stafford has been ruled out of the remainder of the National League campaign and the All-Ireland championship because of a back injury.

The 23-year-old, in his first season with the county's hurlers, has been a regular with the senior footballers over the past three years. "I will be out for at least a year if not longer," stated Stafford after he received the dreaded news from Dublin Surgeon Dr Pat O'Neill.

O'Neill's findings revealed the disc in his back has not been just out of place, it is also ruptured, pushing the nerve out where it should be running, with the nerve causing complications in his back.

While O'Neill has advised him to undergo an operation, Stafford, while respecting the judgement, is not yet ready to go under the knife.

"I will seek further opinion before deciding on an operation," added Stafford as he looks back on an early end to a season which promised so much.

Tyrone have several injury concerns ahead of Sunday's NFL Division 1A clash with Offaly. Peter Canavan has missed his club's last three league games with a leg injury, while midfielder Cormac McAnallen is out with a cracked cheekbone. Defenders Michael McGee and Ciaran Gourley are both struggling with ankle injuries.

The AIB Provincial Player Awards in hurling and football were presented in Dublin yesterday by GAA president Sean McCague.

In hurling, the winners were Denis Byrne (Leinster), Niall Gilligan (Munster), Seamus McMullan (Ulster) and Eugene Cloonan (Connacht).

In football, the winners were Michael Moyles (Connacht), Niall English (Leinster), Martin Cronin (Munster) and David O'Neill (Ulster).