Wexford have been dealt a cruel blow ahead of next Saturday’s All-Ireland Under-21 hurling championship semi-final clash against Cork at Nowlan Park.
Wexford Senior hurler St Martins prodigy Rory O’Connor has been ruled out of the upcoming game with a knee injury.
The St Martin’s club-man sustained a knee injury during club training, and following a scan last week, it has emerged he will not be available for this crunch game against Munster champions, Cork.
Only last year, O’Connor underwent an operation on his other knee for cartilage trouble, so this latest injury is a huge blow to the young player.
O’Connor hasn’t featured for his club team in this years’ Wexford Senior hurling championship, and club chairman Michael Morrisey believes he’s still a while away from putting on the maroon and white:
“The only positive to emerge from this latest setback is that Rory avoids an operation. Still, we’ll be lucky to have him back for the championship quarter-finals. The likes of these players are suffering burn-out rapidly,” said St Martins chairman Michael Morrisey.
O’Connor has been a revelation for the Wexford U-21 hurling panel and Fitzgerald’s Senior team, but while Wexford will undoubtedly feel the loss of O’Connor, the U-21’s will leave everything on the battlefield next Saturday (August 4th).
Rory’s cousin, club-man and U-21 counterpart Joe O’Connor is also sweating on his fitness – but, he hasn’t been completely ruled out, and will probably partake in the game, depending on the results of a fitness test during this Thursday’s training.
