Donegal hopeful on McBrearty comeback

Patrick McBrearty might be in line to play some part of Donegal’s All-Ireland series in the coming weeks.

The Donegal captain has been sidelined since picking up a hamstring tear in his side’s second Allianz League Division 1 encounter, against Tyrone in February. On Saturday at Cusack Park in Ennis, McBrearty was very vocal in his support of his teammates from the sidelines in Donegal's 0-14 to 0-9 win over Clare.

Next up for Aidan O’Rourke’s side is a clash with Derry on June Bank Holiday weekend. The Ulster champions will take on Monaghan this coming weekend at Celtic Park. Donegal are down to play Monaghan in the third set of fixtures in mid-June and it is hoped McBrearty will have a chance of playing then. 

“Patrick is getting on really well and we’re hoping in the next three to four weeks there might be a chance for him,” Donegal coach Paddy Bradley said in Ennis on Saturday. “The Derry game might be a bit too soon for him so maybe come the Monaghan match he might be in line for some gametime. 

“With hamstring injuries, you just don’t know definitively. It’s tricky and it’s a matter of managing the rehab very well and with Antoin McFadden doing that now, Patrick has come on leaps and bounds. Patrick hasn’t joined in with us in any way and is at the latter stages of his rehab. We’ll listen to all the medical advice on that though.”

The outlook is not so good on Michael Langan, who suffered an injury almost a carbon copy of McBrearty’s, in his case against Down in the Ulster SFC quarter-final last month, while Peadar Mogan, who has a foot injury, will have to wait and see.

“Michael is not good and it looks like he is not going to be playing much football this year,” Bradley added. “It’s strange as it’s not a common injury and now after Patrick this is two in the one year. It’s bad luck.

“Peadar then has been through his operation and we’ll just have to see on him. These are big losses, although the younger lads will have to see this as an opportunity for them to step up. Rory O’Donnell, John Ross Molloy and Odhran Doherty all did that against Clare in their first games of the year. They certainly didn’t let the team down.”