The injuries have been piling up for teams ahead of this summer’s All-Ireland senior football and hurling championships, with Monaghan midfielder Darren Hughes the latest casualty.

Hughes suffered a broken ankle whilst on club duty with Scotstown at the weekend which rules him out of his county’s Ulster SFC derby opener against Cavan on May 18th and likely the entire provincial championship campaign itself.

It sees Hughes joining fellow inter-county stars such as Joe Canning, Conor Cooney (both Galway hurling) and Dublin’s Paddy Andrews on the injured list ahead of the summer.

Cork attacker Robbie O’Flynn is also thought to have recently aggravated a pre-existing hamstring injury which could leave him in doubt for the Rebels’ Munster SHC meeting Tipperary in a little less than four weeks’ time.

Joe Canning's groin injury rules him out of the entire 2019 Leinster SHC

O’Flynn’s team mate Seamus Harnedy could miss the same outing at Pairc Ui Chaoimh on May 12th should his one-match suspension from the league meeting with the Premier County stand, while Kilkenny’s Conor Delaney is in the same boat after his ban for a red card picked up against Wexford did not apply in the relegation loss to the Leesiders last month.

One player that Brian Cody will definitely be planning without in the months ahead is James Maher after the talented forward broke his leg while training with St Lachtain’s last week.

There’s better news for the Donegal footballers however, as star forward Paddy McBrearty looks set to see his first minutes of 2019 in his county's colours when they face Fermanagh next month, while Clare hurlers have also received a boost after welcoming back injured pair John Conlon and John Conlon before they meet Waterford on May 12.

Tipp hurling boss Liam Sheedy will also have been pleased to see 2016 All-Ireland winning captain Brendan Maher returning to club action this past Sunday for the first time since rupturing his cruciate ligament against Clare last June.

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