Shane Lennon is resigned to missing Louth's championship campaign.

The highly-rated full forward, who has been plagued by injury in recent seasons, underwent hip surgery last month and has given up all hope of playing for Louth this summer. The Wee County open their Leinster SFC campaign against Westmeath in Navan on Sunday week.

"I'm going to miss the Championship. I had an operation on my hip three weeks ago," the Kilkerley Emmets clubman told the Irish Sun.

"It's an extra piece of bone in my hip and it has been tearing away all the cartilage. There's a lot of wear and tear. I was up with the surgeon last week and he's happy with the way the operation went. It's career-threatening. There is a young lad from him who went in the same day as me and his didn't go well. He has to go for another two operations over the next two years."

Lennon is targeting an August return to club action.

"August, all going well, to get back. I'm back on the bike and the cross-trainer. I'd be hoping to get back for the club championships and build on it for next year."

Louth will also be without midfielder Brian Donnelly and defender Dessie Finnegan for the Westmeath game. White recently left for Boston, while Finnegan will be on honeymoon.

"We are having a bad run of it. Dessie won't be home until May 24," Louth manager Peter Fitzpatrick lamented.

"When a young fella (Donnelly) comes to you and says he has a ticket booked, what are you to do? They are getting a good opportunity." Tweet

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