Clarke faces final fitness race

Clarke faces final fitness race

EDWIN MCGREAL

GARRYMORE goalkeeper Morven Connolly is on standby this week ahead of next Sunday’s National League Final at Croke Park as David Clarke struggles to recover from injury.
The Mayo goalkeeper picked up a back-related hamstring injury during the course of last Sunday’s semi-final win over Galway but played on despite being in pain. His condition will be assessed and monitored this week with Connolly (son of former Garrymore net-minder Mattie Joe) set to make his competitive Mayo debut, at any level, should Clarke fail to recover in time.
“David has a problem with his hamstring,” Mayo manager O’Mahony told The Mayo News on Monday night. “He had a problem with it a few weeks ago and we’ll just have to wait and see how it is at training on Tuesday. Injuries are mounting but we’ll just have to keep going.”
It is an unlikely turn of events for Mayo manager John O’Mahony who started U-21 ‘keeper Kenneth O’Malley in four games in Division 1A and Clarke in three of them prior to Sunday. However, the former dislocated his thumb against Dublin and with Clarke now a doubt the focus will switch to Connolly. The 23 year old was only called into the match day squad after O’Malley’s injury.
This latest blow comes as Mayo come to terms with the fact that they must plan for the May 20 championship tussle with Galway without Ciarán McDonald. Speaking at Croke Park after last Sunday’s game, O’Mahony conceded McDonald was losing his battle for fitness.
“The news on Ciarán McDonald isn’t great. You can say that he won’t be involved. He won’t be fit enough to play any part in the Galway game in five weeks time and we’ll just have to see what happens down the road. The back just hasn’t responded. He has worked exceptionally hard to try to get back into action and we’ll just have to wait and see.”
The news on Mayo’s other injuries was more positive. David Brady was among the Mayo substitutes on Sunday but was not called into action while Trevor Mortimer, Marty McNicholas, Patrick Navin were not togged out.
“David Brady is close enough but I think next week might be a bit too soon for him,” admitted O’Mahony. “Trevor is still a bit off at the moment but he has responded fairly well to treatment. I still think he won’t be in a position to be involved on Sunday. I hope I’m wrong.”

MEANWHILE Mayo GAA Board Secretary Sean Feeney told The Mayo News that he expects approximately 5,000 supporters to travel to Croke Park next Sunday. Tickets will be distributed to the county’s clubs tomorrow night (Thursday) and cost €30 for adults.
“I would expect an increase in demand,” he said. “We had played seven league games in a short space of time and I think people didn’t travel last Sunday because of that. I think our supporters would have preferred to have played the semi-final in the West of Ireland but from the team’s point of view the more times you play in Croke Park the better.”

Fixture NFL Final
Mayo v
Donegal
Sunday, April 22 at 4pm
Croke Park