Ambrose Rogers will miss Down's McKenna Cup and National League campaigns after picking up a knee infection during a recent team holiday in New York.

According to Down boss James McCartan, the infection is related to the fact that the player had his spleen removed after he shipped a heavy tackle during the Mourne County's All-Ireland qualifier defeat to Wexford in 2008.

"Ambrose has had a setback," McCartan said.

"He got an infection in his knee when we were in Manhattan. That was further complicated by the fact that he has no spleen. He was very ill.

"When he returned, he was in hospital for a week, and he lost a stone-and-a-half in weight, which he didn't have to lose."

To compound matters, the Down captain is still recovering from the cruciate ligament injury which prevented him from playing in this year's All-Ireland semi-final and final, and McCartan fears he mightn't play again until the championship.

"We really don't know. I'm getting mixed reports. Some are saying Ambrose will be ready to play at the end of April, somebody is saying it will be the middle of June," he said.

"If he caught a league game, I would be delighted. Ambrose is planning to get some league games, but I would maybe be a bit more cautious than that."

McCartan has named a 26-man squad for the McKenna, which includes former All-Ireland minor captain Liam Doyle who has suffered two cruciate ligament injuries in recent years. Kilcoo's Paul Devlin and Conor Poland, brother of half forward Mark, have also been called up.

Down (McKenna Cup squad): D Alder, G McArdle, D Gordon, A Brannigan, D Rooney, A Carr, P Fitzpatrick, K King, L Doyle, M Poland, B Coulter, P Devlin, J Clarke, M Clarke, C Murdock, K Anderson, J Colgan, B McArdle, C Laverty, R Sexton, C Maginn, R Murtagh, M McCartan, C Poland, P McPolin, D Sheerin. Tweet

Most Read Stories