Mayo captain set to miss start of league

Mike Finnerty

MAYO captain Aidan O’Shea looks set to be sidelined for between a month and six weeks after injuring his knee in a training session on Tuesday evening last.
The Mayo News understands that the Breaffy clubman is likely to miss the group stages of the National League, but could be back in contention for the knock-out stages were Mayo to qualify.
Mayo begin their Division 2 ‘northern section’ league campaign in three weeks’ time (Saturday, May 15) at home to Down. They are also away to Westmeath (Saturday, May 22) and at home to Meath (Sunday, May 30).
Barring any setbacks, O’Shea should be fully recovered in time for Mayo’s opening match in this year’s Connacht championship away to Sligo on the weekend of June 26/27.
The 30 year-old sustained the knee injury during Mayo’s first collective training session of the year last week at MacHale Park.
The Mayo squad were training together in Castlebar for the first time since Covid-19 restrictions on senior inter-county teams were lifted.
The Mayo News understands that O’Shea sustained the injury innocuously during a training game. He subsequently walked off the field.
Mayo begin the defence of their Connacht SFC title in just under nine weeks’ time away to Sligo.
O’Shea, who has won three All Star awards, hasn’t missed a senior championship game for Mayo since the 2012 Connacht SFC semi-final win over Leitrim.
He has played in 58 consecutive championship matches since, and captained Mayo to their first Connacht SFC title since 2015 last November.
Jason Doherty is currently rehabilitating from a torn Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL) in his right knee. That injury also occurred during a training session with Mayo last October.
Brendan Harrison, who has been sidelined with a knee problem since last summer, is also currently working his way to fitness.