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Losing Darren Hughes for Ulster is a serious blow: Monaghan boss Malachy O'Rourke

Malachy O'Rourke has a few midfield issues to iron out before their Ulster Championship meeting with Cavan on May 18
Malachy O'Rourke has a few midfield issues to iron out before their Ulster Championship meeting with Cavan on May 18 Malachy O'Rourke has a few midfield issues to iron out before their Ulster Championship meeting with Cavan on May 18

MALACHY O’Rourke has described Darren Hughes’s Ulster Championship absence as “bad news and a big blow” to Monaghan ahead of next month’s provincial opener with Cavan.

Hughes ruled himself out of this year’s Ulster series after suffering a broken ankle in a club game for Scotstown last weekend.

The 32-year-old’s absence leaves a massive hole at midfield and with Kieran Hughes and Niall Kearns still some way off seeing competitive action, the Monaghan management team have plenty to ponder for their May 18 meeting with neighbours Cavan.

“Initially, Darren thought it was his knee and then you’re dreading the news that it’s a cruciate but it turned out to be his ankle," O'Rourke explained.

“It was bad news and a big blow but at least it wouldn’t be his season over; hopefully not for the county or club.

“It is a serious blow to us because he’s been a massive presence for us this year, a massive leadership presence since we’ve been here.

“We’ve lost a few players around the middle of the field. It’s definitely one we could have done without.”

Hughes speculated he could be out for 10 weeks which would take him up to a week before an Ulster final, on June 23, should the Farneymen navigate their way to this summer’s decider.

Meanwhile, Kieran Hughes, Darren’s brother, hasn’t played any football since before Christmas due to persistent hamstring trouble.

“Kieran is training away and we’re hoping he’ll get back in full contact training over the next couple of weeks and hopefully get him back onto the field and get some game-time in challenge matches,” said O’Rourke. “Obviously Kieran has played no football since before Christmas so he’d be behind in that respect with match sharpness. But as long as he doesn’t suffer any setbacks hopefully he’ll be good to go.

“It’s a hamstring injury that has been bugging him all of last year. We thought if we managed it the way we did last year it would probably flare up again. It was impeding him all the time and wasn’t letting him play to his full potential, so we just took the decision to try and get it right and for him to be able to play to his full potential when he does come back.”

Niall Kearns is another midfielder who is being eased back into contention but the Ulster Championship is likely to pass him by too.

The Sean McDeremott’s man, who excelled in Monaghan’s midfield last year, underwent surgery last October to repair a leaking heart valve.

“We’re just looking to the medical people and for them to tell us when he’s allowed back into full contact football. Again, it’s just one of those where we can’t rush him or take any chances. Just like Kieran, Niall has played no football. You need time to get yourself re-adjusted to playing football and re-adjusted to playing at inter-county level, so both of them have certainly got a challenge ahead of them.”

On Monaghan's midfield conundrum, O’Rourke said: “Darren had been a fixture there the last number of years. Before that, Kieran had been there fairly regularly. Niall Kearns came in last year and made the place his own. So there are three fellas who had been there and aren’t there at the minute.

“But there are other players that have played there: Gavin Doogan played there during the League, Neil McAdam has played there fairly regularly, Karl O’Connell has played there, Fintan Kelly [exonerated on appeal after an alleged elbow incident against Mayo] has played there, and Jamie Walshe is in this year.

“So we have other options there and we’re looking for other fellas to really grab their chance now. It will go very much on training and in challenge matches to see who’s going well, and that’s who we’ll be going with.”