Kiely set to miss league run-in through injury

Michael Kiely looks set to miss the rest of the National Hurling League through injury. The Abbeyside/Ballinacourty man was in a boot on Sunday in Mullingar after limping off in the first half against Dublin the week before.

"Unfortunately, the bang he got last week on the calf is a bit more serious than we thought," manager Peter Queally revealed. "He got a scan and everything is ok but he is going to see an ankle specialist. It looks at the moment like a four to six week injury. It's unfortunate for Michael because he's had a catalogue of injuries in the last few years. He bedded in well there in the half back line. If we're talking four to six weeks, and we get that confirmed, there's still seven weeks to the championship and hopefully he'll be ok.” Paddy Leavey also sat out the record breaking win over Westmeath. "He actually played on the last day with a groin injury. He got a scan during the week. He could be back in two to three weeks."

Conor Ryan was a late withdrawal. "He actually got sick beforehand in the warm-up. It's the second week in a row we've lost somebody in the warm-up. The lads adapted well to that. In fairness to Seamus Fitzgerald, he got the call ten minutes before the throw-in, went out and did very well for us."