DONEGAL manager Declan Bonner says an injury sustained by Odhrán Mac Niallais last night is a ‘concern’.
Mac Niallais limped out of the Division 1 semi-final defeat to Dublin after 28 minutes.
The Gaoth Dobhair man, who was making his first start of 2021, seemed to pick up a hamstring injury. With Donegal due in Ulster Championship action in just two weeks’ time, when they travel to play Down, Mac Niallais appears to be in a race against the clock.
“I’m hoping it’s not too serious, but we have a concern about that,” Bonner said.
“Two weeks out from the championship, that’s a worry.
“It’s very hard to know, but it looks like a soft tissue injury. We’ll monitor them over the next 48 hours or so.”
Defender Stephen McMenamin was withdrawn at half-time with a dead team which Bonner suggested didn’t appear ‘anything too serious’.
There was a suggestion that Patrick McBrearty – who top-scored for Donegal with six points – had complaint of feeling an ache when he kicked a late free. Bonner, though, was not aware of the extent when he addressed the media moments after the game.
Bonner insisted that captain Michael Murphy, who sat out last night’s game with a hamstring strain, will be ready to face Down.
Neil McGee, Jamie Brennan, Eoghan Bán Gallagher, Peadar Mogan and Paul Brennan weren’t risked with that Championship clash looming,
Bonner said: “We had to be careful and not risk anyone but it also gave lads a chance to play against Dublin, quality opposition, and see where they’re at.
“Tonight’s match probably didn’t have that real edge. It is what it is. We had to take stock of where we are at and what’s priority.
“We were without possibly six or seven lads there that we just didn’t want to risk and some of those lads wouldn’t even have been playing anyways – others would had it been championship but we just didn’t want to risk it two weeks out from a tough match in Newry.”
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