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Paddy Tally issues Derry injury update as former All-Star is ruled out for the season

Derry manager Paddy Tally
-Credit:©INPHO/Lorcan Doherty


Paddy Tally has confirmed that Gareth McKinless won’t feature for Derry this season after suffering a cruciate injury during the club campaign.

Ballinderry were denied in dramatic fashion as Conor Lotus scored a last-gasp penalty in the All-Ireland Intermediate Club final in Croke Park last month.

However, it emerged that McKinless was carrying a serious knee injury during the final and he’ll now require surgery.

Read more: Recap as Kerry snatch dramatic victory over Derry in remarkable League clash

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His clubmate Niall O’Donnell also suffered a hamstring injury and will need an operation, ruling him out for several months.

Speaking after Sunday’s stunning 5-15 to 1-24 loss to Kerry in Celtic Park, Tally gave an assessment on the health of his squad after two rounds of the Allianz Football League.

“Gareth (McKinless) has a bad injury. Gareth won't be playing this season. He's done his cruciate and so he's out,” said Tally.

“And now (Niall) O'Donnell has gone through a surgery there for a hamstring injury so now he's going to be out for a considerable amount of time as well.

Gareth McKinless won't feature for Derry in 2025
Gareth McKinless won't feature for Derry in 2025 -Credit:©INPHO/Ryan Byrne

“We need to increase the depth of the squad, there’s still a few players to come back in there, Paudie McGrogan, Conor McCluskey, Niall Loughlin.

“Lachlan Murray only came on the second half with a bit of an injury. Ciaran McFaul didn’t play today. I know Kerry were missing men too, it’s just this time of year where you have to find a few players.”

When pressed if McGrogan, McCluskey and Loughlin are likely to return in the coming weeks, Tally replied: “All being well those boys will be back in March.”

Galway visit Celtic Park in round three before the Oak Leafers take on Dublin in Croke Park later this month.

Derry fell to their second successive League defeat after plundering two goals in the final minute of a breathless end-to-end contest.

Conor Geaney plundered two goals in the first half while substitutes Donal O’Sullivan and Paul Geaney found the net in the second half before the later registered Kerry’s fifth with the final act of a helter-skelter tie.

“It was a very exciting finish alright. I thought we played really well, but we conceded some terrible goals and that was the difference,” reflected Tally.

“I think we were three points up and to lose it within a minute is very disappointing.

“I thought we made a big improvement from last week's performance against Tyrone and I think we're much, much better today. But you can't give away five goals in a game and expect to win. It's just impossible so I think that's the biggest learning point first.”

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