Injury crisis is bad timing for Dunning
July 02, 2009

London selector Noel Dunning
London football boss Noel Dunning has described this Saturday's All-Ireland qualifier meeting with Down as "impossible to plan for" due to the injury crisis in the panel.
The Exiles have a significant number of doubts heading into the Newry clash, including Chris Donnellan, Padraig Duffy, Fergus McMahon and Eamon O Cuiv, who, presumably would all be needed if their team were to pull off a shock against Ross Carr's side.
"It's impossible to plan for the game with Down really as we don't know our starting team." Dunning told the Irish Post newspaper earlier in the week.
"The busiest person in London football at the moment is the county side's physio. We've had training sessions where there are nearly as many players on the treatment table as there are out training.
"Some of the players have been playing two club games a week and the pitches at this time of year are rock hard so injuries are inevitable in a way," he added.
However, despite the amount of walking wounded in the London panel at present, their manager still says that his players will be up for the fight against the Mourne men.
"We're not going there to make up the numbers," said Dunning. "It's no greater a challenge for us as the game against Galway was and while we know Down are strong favourites we also know we have the ability to come away with something from Newry."
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