New injury concerns for Mayo ahead of qualifiers

by Aiden Henry

WITH a little over two weeks to go before Mayo’s opening game in the All-Ireland SFC qualifiers, there are still a number of injury worries for James Horan’s management team.

Indeed, if anything, the list of players presently receiving treatment has grown in the last week with Ryan O’Donoghue and James Carr reported to have picked up muscle problems.

This is anything but good news, especially as there are major doubts about a number of other key players.

While Patrick Durcan seems to be making great progress and seems certain to be available for the June Bank Holiday weekend qualifier, there are ongoing doubts about Robert Hennelly and Jordan Flynn, who both missed the Galway game, and Oisin Mullin, who had to come off in that game with a hamstring injury.

According to sources, it is very doubtful if Hennelly, Mullin or Flynn will be fit to start in the first-round qualifier clash.

As to how serious the O’Donoghue and Carr injuries are is unclear at this point.

Needless to say, their loss would be a significant blow to Mayo's attack.

Mayo will learn their first-round opponents in the qualifiers next Monday.

Following last weekends series of championship games, it is now fully clear who Mayo could be drawn against in the first round.

With no preliminary round necessary, the other seven teams in the draw with Mayo are Armagh, Tyrone, Monaghan, Cork, Meath, Clare and Louth.

The first team drawn out will have home advantage in each of the four games.

Should Mayo win their open round game they will be drawn against either of the following in round two: Kerry or Limerick, Dublin or Kildare, Donegal or Derry or Roscommon or Galway.

The winners of round two will go straight into the All-Ireland SFC quarterfinals where they will be drawn against one of the four provincial winners.