It looks like Dublin could be without a third key defender for the rest of the championship as word emerges that James McCarthy has suffered knee ligament damage

It was feared that the inspirational wing back - who sat out Sunday's easy Leinster SFC final victory over Westmeath - had suffered a cruciate tear when landing awkwardly at training. However, scans have revealed that the 26-year-old has sustained medial ligament damage, the lesser of two evils.

The injury will rule him out of action for four to six weeks, which means the Ballymun Kickhams clubman will definitely miss the Dubs' impending All-Ireland quarter-final on August 6^th and would be in a race against time to be ready for a subsequent semi-final later in the month should Jim Gavin' men progress.

With Rory O'Carroll and Jack McCaffrey already absent due to their travels, news that Dublin are without three of last year's starting defenders offers potential opponents a modicum of hope going into the All-Ireland series.

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