THE Kerry management team will rely on the best medical advice and support available to give star forward James O’Donoghue every chance of wearing the green and gold again this season.
Kingdom supporters held their heads in their hands on Sunday when the Killarney Legion player crashed to the ground in obvious distress after an accidental collision with the Kildare goalkeeper Mark Donnellan.
The footballer of the year was assessed on the field by the Kerry team doctor John Rice before being transferred to the Mater Hospital for x-rays. The Kerry medical team had realigned the shoulder on the field and an x-ray afterwards showed that there was no serious injury sustained.
He will have a routine MRI scan and will rest for a few days before beginning rehab and starting a graduated return to action. The positive news is that the joint has not been fractured.
Following the hospital assessment, he was able to travel back to Killarney by train with the rest of the Kerry party on Sunday evening.
It is likely to rule the stylish corner forward out of the All-Ireland semi-final clash with either Tyrone or Monaghan on August 23 but, if Kerry progress, the hope is that his recovery will be sufficient to enable him to play at least some part in the final a month later. He played with a similar shoulder-pop injury in last year’s championship.
It’s not the first time that O’Donoghue’s shoulders have caused him heartbreak as he missed several months of action when he had surgery after leading Kerry to their 37th All-Ireland title last September.
The player has previously acknowledged that he is vulnerable to shoulder dislocations and A/C joint trouble and it is a persistent problem that has bothered him throughout his footballing career.
“Since I was young, I kept dislocating my left one but that’s sorted now,” he said.
