Kildare will have to plan without talented defender Hugh McGrillen for the 2015 campaign.

McGrillen has informed the management team that he is taking a year out from the game to go travelling and the 27-year-old will be a huge loss to the squad.

A versatile player, McGrillen has played in a number of positions for Kildare and manager Jason Ryan admitted to the Kildare Nationalist that it is a blow to their preparations for the 2015 campaign.

"He's filled in a variety of different positions right across the full back line and right across the half back line," said Ryan.

"He has done some really good defensive marking jobs on a variety of different players in big, big pressurised situations. Now only do you lose what he brings on the pitch, but you also lose the wealth of experience he has picked up over the last number of years."

Meanwhile, Daryl Flynn is set to miss the entire league as he undergoes an ankle operation in January, while Paul Cribbin is rated doubtful for the campaign also with a foot problem.

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