Football

Tyrone's Michael McKernan targeting return before end of League after Sigerson injury drama

Tyrone's Michael McKernan with Monaghan goalkeeper Rory Beggan at Wednesday night's Dr McKenna Cup final launch, which was held at the Market Place Theatre in Armagh. Picture by Declan Roughan
Tyrone's Michael McKernan with Monaghan goalkeeper Rory Beggan at Wednesday night's Dr McKenna Cup final launch, which was held at the Market Place Theatre in Armagh. Picture by Declan Roughan Tyrone's Michael McKernan with Monaghan goalkeeper Rory Beggan at Wednesday night's Dr McKenna Cup final launch, which was held at the Market Place Theatre in Armagh. Picture by Declan Roughan

TYRONE star Michael McKernan is targeting a return to action before the end of the National League after suffering a punctured lung and two broken ribs during a Sigerson Cup game last Sunday.

The Coalisland ace, who was nominated for Young Footballer of the Year in 2018, had to spend the night at St Vincent's Hospital in Dublin after being forced out of Ulster University’s defeat to UCD at Belfield.

It looks like an eight week recovery process, which would bring McKernan back into the frame for the final two Division One games against Donegal in Omagh and then Mayo in Castlebar.

“Leaving the hospital I just got a letter saying eight weeks, or around that time,” said the 22-year-old.

“It probably just depends on how quickly the pain goes away. I’m telling myself I’m fine because I want to be playing, but I’d find it hard to get a deep breath still.

“I slept through on Tuesday morning and didn’t get up to take the painkillers, so when I woke up I could hardly get out of bed. It’s easing, I don’t know if that’s just because of the painkillers, but it’s not as bad.

“It was just a 50-50 ball, the ball was coming into our 45 so I went out to meet it and the boy was coming in, we just collided. At the start I thought I was just winded, and then I realised I couldn’t breathe. The pain was bad.”

It is bad timing for McKernan too as he had just come back into the Red Hand fold following a niggly knee problem, marking his return with a point in last week’s Dr McKenna Cup win over Armagh.

However, he insists he is fully focused on getting back into the thick of things as soon as possible.

He added: “I had been doing rehab to get rid of a knee problem I’ve had and because we won the championship the year before [with Coalisland] and went on in Ulster, I didn’t really get that big a break to clear it up, so I cleared it up this year – then this happens.

“It’s a setback but it’ll hopefully not take too long to clear up.”

Meanwhile, despite McKernan’s injury there has been some good news for Mickey Harte heading towards the League, with the Red Hand boss confirming that Mattie Donnelly was ahead of schedule in his recovery.

Donnelly picked up the injury during Trillick's Ulster Club defeat to Derrygonnelly in November, when the tendon attaching his hamstring to the bone became detached.

The two-time Allstar later said he "can't commit to any timeline" regarding a possible return, casting doubt on whether he would feature again this year.

However, Harte has indicated he could be close to a comeback by the end of the League.

“It’s a very unusual injury, certainly in Gaelic football, so there isn’t much guideline as to how long this might take or when he’ll be back,” said the Tyrone boss.

“If anybody was going to get this injury, he’s the man that can handle it because he’s very disciplined and very dedicated to everything he does, and I’m happy to say from speaking to him that he’s ahead of his suggested agenda. He’s on the right side of his rehab.

“I can understand that because he does everything so well, and I hope that continues and that there’s a bit of light at the end of the tunnel in the not too distant future.

“I would love to think he might be very close to it by the end of the League.”