Photo: Sportsfile/Eoin Noonan
The Mayo News (paper and digital versions) today confirms that Kevin Keane, who was ferried from the field of play after just ten minutes at Croke Park on Sunday with what visibly appeared to be a serious leg injury, has suffered damage to his cruciate knee ligament. The injury was confirmed following a scan he underwent yesterday.
Anyone who saw the incident at Croke Park – it occurred directly across the field from where I was sitting and it was immediately apparent that Kevin was in serious bother – will have feared the worst for the Westport full-back. Sadly, the prognosis is a negative one and Kevin now faces what Mike Finnerty describes in that report as “a lengthy spell on the sidelines.” Generally, it takes a full twelve months to recover from a cruciate injury, though the exact time is dependent on the severity of the damage.
It’s impossible not to feel desperately disappointed for the big-hearted Westport man, a player who has had precious little luck down the years. Only last year he suffered a serious shoulder injury in an FBD clash against Roscommon, which kept him out of action for most of the League campaign, and he now faces a long road to recover from this latest setback.
Best of luck to Kevin and here’s hoping for a smooth and trouble-free rehab for him.
Terribless shame. Hope Kevin makes a speedy recovery.
Sad news for Kevin . Great servant , hopefully will be back better than ever next year .
Hope you make a speedy recovery Kevin! Take that All Ireland medal out of your back pocket to aid recovery!! All the best!
That is dreadful news, for keane and indeed Mayo. I don’t know what age he is but he is around a few years now so he must be well in the 20’s. The fact that he has an All Ireland medal will not hasten his recovery time but it will comfort him and perhaps encourage his efforts to get back for club and county.
I wish him a trouble free rehabilitation from this injury.
Very hard luck on Kevin,always thought he had a lot to offer since a minor,as BJ Keane was taken off because of the job Kevin done on him,best of luck for the future to him
That’s two very able panel members gone in a week. Big loss, hard luck.
Very, very disappointed to read this. Wishing Kevin all the best with his recovery.
Sorry for Keane–lets hope Ger Mc donagh is fit to be tried out in some league games.
It was so disappointing for Kevin to have to be removed so early into the match on Sunday. A double blow for this news to follow. I wish him a speedy recovery.
Trevor . Funny how every all Ireland medal seems to be carried around in the back pocket !
Shame, wish him all the best.
Theres a chance there for a Ger McDonagh, Caolaon Crowe or maybe convert Nally?
Maybe with Caff back we have sufficient cover and wont play a real Fullback , will the likes of Chris Barrett and Donie Vaughan will play that role .
All I know is whoever is there Saturday night is going to have to deal with alot of high ball
Feel so sorry for Kevin. First game for Mayo seniors was in FBD in 2009, he played minor the year before. Had to wait until 2012 before he made his league and championship debut. He had a terrible start to the all ireland final V Donegal that year but did quite well for the rest of the game. He played most league games in 2015 but has struggled to make the first fifteen since, even with Caff missing last years championship he was benched for all the Croke Park games. Like Freeman things didnt always go his way but he kept at it and was always available when needed. The Mayo curse for full backs seems to strike again, Caff has had his share of injuries, missed all of last years championship, there,s no sign of Caff or Ger Mc Donagh yet this year, so he will be badly missed. Id rate him third best full back we had since the Kevin Cahill era. Ger Cafferkey and David Heaney ahead of him. Would like to see Seamus Cunniffe come into panel now, but he seems to have issues with injuries over the last few years.
Sad news for Kevin. I hope he has a speedy and smooth recovery. It’ll be hard for him to watch from the sidelines this year, I’m sure, but hopefully we’ll see him back in action again as soon as possible.
Best wishes to Kevin, get well soon.
Very unfortunate for Kevin Westport and Mayo but can return to make a major contribution to both teams. Best wishes for a speedy recovery.
That’s a right sickener for the fella. He’s had no luck at all with injury over the last few years.
Very disappointing for Kevin but hopefully he will be back. Medical science is so good nowadays. It’s not that long ago when a cruciate would have meant the end of a football career and a “gammy” knee for life. A few I know regret the early end to their football more than the gammy knee.
Very sorry to hear of the nature of Kevin’s injury. Wishing him well in his recovery. A big loss for Mayo this year as he had been playing so well in recent months. The cupboard is going to be bare once again this year in the full back position.
Best wishes to Kevin for a quick recovery. It did look bad on Sunday, but it didn’t look as bad as the injury suffered by Andy Moran, in the match V Down in 2012, “So hope it’s significantly less time for recovery as well, but I’m no expert.
Best wishes to Kevin for a speedy recovery
Best wishes and a speedy recovery
good luck to a fearless warrior
Speedy recovery to Mr Keane. It’s a tough bit of luck but that’s the nature of the sport I suppose, at least he got the win on Sunday last. Himself and Freeman are 2 physically big fellas to lose and they have a lot of experience which cannot be bought or fast tracked, Lets just hope the replacements really step up in a big way.
Dave …. re: replacement for freeman & Keane stepping up ..
What mayo need is players who will force their was on to the team & have established players get out of their comfort zone.
Listening to MWR this morning, it appears AOS will not be back to face Roscommon this weekend.
Best of recovery to Kevin Keane, always had great time for him.
Well that’s a dose for sure. A nasty injury that needs to be well looked after. Best of luck in your recovery Kevin.
Sorry for KK. He’s still only mid twenties and should still have a good sporting career ahead on return for hopefully club and County. Could we chance someone like Jason Gibbons or Conor OS as full back against Roscommon. OS is quite fast and wouldn’t be given the run around. We’ll needs someone tall and fast as cover for Caff. The other options are Coen and Drake. An inexperienced Coen got slipped by the likes of Barry John Keane but has more savvy nowadays. Not sure Nally or Donie either tall enough or quick enough over first 5m for full back. Gibbons is both tall and mobile but Coen has more defense experience.
Tough on Kevin, im sure he will make a full recovery and will be back on the field next season.
Regarding the fb position for Mayo, the game has evolved alot in the past few years and much like the traditional ff there isnt much room for a traditional fb anymore. Mayo went to the final without a recognised fb as did Dublin. With the emergence of Newcomb and ODonaghue I can see Harrison play a more central role in Mayos defence like he did to great effect v Tyrone.
Hard luck on Kevin. No doubt he will be back. He is a warrior and he knows no other way. We had few FB like him in my time., his ability to command the square was unequaled. A decent midfielder also who could take his point on the run forward.
Brutal misfortune. Best of luck with the recovery Kevin. Hopefully come back an even better player.