Laois Boss Gets Fitness Boost As Three Players Return From Injury

Tuesday, 8 February 2022 at 13:18

They're facing Kildare in a challenge game this evening.

Laois continue to count the toll of a run of seven games in five weeks as Billy Sheehan's treatment room continues to fill up.

The Allianz Football League takes a week long hiatus before returning with a trip to Fermanagh on February 19th. It probably comes at a great time for Laois, who will have to opportunity to get some much needed recovery into some players and conditioning into others.

The O'Byrne Cup run brought a much needed boost to the opening stint of Sheehan's reign, but with success comes the need for a bigger panel of players.

Laois used 34 throughout the pre-season and when push comes to shove, it wouldn't be surprising if a similar total see the field during the league.

There is good news on the injury front too though, three players are set to return during a challenge match with neighbours Kildare on Tuesday evening, as Sheehan told us afterwards:

“We have a challenge match organised with Kildare on Tuesday night for lads who are in the squad. Mark Timmons will be back playing, Shane Bolger and Diarmuid Bennett will all be involved too.

“Sean Moore got injured in training two weeks ago and I don’t know if he will be available for that but he hopes to be back for Fermanagh. James Kelly had a dead calf at half time but in fairness to him, his attitude is excellent. He was doing runs up and down the corridor at half time to see if he’d get out for the second half but unfortunately he couldn’t continue"

Laois have plenty of other injury troubles as already referenced and they’ll be hoping a knock picked up by corner back James Kelly isn’t serious.

Sean Moore's loss is a particularly frustrating blow, given the form he'd established during the pre-season, all eyes will be on the medical staff in the coming 10 days or so to see who they can nurture back to full fitness.