Pivotal Kildare players Martin Lynch and John Finn are listed as doubtful for the Leinster final against Dublin, having suffered injuries during Sunday's impressive win over Offaly.
Both men were forced to retire during different stages of the game. Finn, one of the most dependable and inventive wing backs in the game, pulled up after aggravating a muscle strain which has been plaguing him since the drawn match with Offaly. He was replaced late in the first half by David Hughes, who slotted in comfortably.
Lynch, however, was particularly unfortunate, wrenching his ankle in the last few minutes of the match after enjoying an inspired spell at full forward which saw him cause untold trouble for the Offaly back line. "He just seemed to turn awkwardly on it and was worried straight away, so we took him off. He has had a similar problem before, but not for a long time. The extent of the injury hasn't been confirmed, but the fear is that he could have torn ligaments," said Kildare PRO Syl Merrins yesterday.
Lynch was laid up with the injury on Sunday evening and the seriousness of the twist will be confirmed at some point today.
The enforced absences of Finn, an All Star in 1998 and Lynch, a constant in the Kildare attack for over a decade, would be a cruel blow for Mick O'Dwyer, who on Sunday watched his team discover a new groove. The performances of substitute Hughes and Ronan Sweeney, who was lively when moved out to midfield, hint at a number of options for the manager, but the injured duo are an integral part of the core unit.
On a brighter note, Karl O'Dwyer continues to recover from the broken finger which forced him to miss out on Sunday's sweeping win.
"He is hopeful of being back at least. He still has pins inserted in the finger but there might just about be time enough for him to be declared fit," said Merrins. Derek Maher was hampered with tonsillitis over the weekend but is expected to return to training before the week is out.
Armagh came through Sunday's Ulster final with no serious injuries, apart from a calf muscle strain to Kieran McGeeney, which he is expected to recover from over the week. Managers Brian McAlinden and Brian Canavan are also hopeful of having Diarmuid Marsden back for the semi-final.
"He has five weeks and that ought to be enough to set him right," said county secretary Patrick Nugent, who confirmed that participation would have been beyond Marsden on Sunday.
"No way could he have come in. He did a bit of light running on Saturday evening and that was the extent of it; he isn't even kicking a ball yet. But he will be easing himself back into training and all going well, he'll be back in time."
