Dublin manager Jim Gavin awaits the results of tests to determine to full extent of Stephen Cluxton's injury.
The Dubs skipper was forced off during the 2-25 to 0-12 win Longford on Sunday in the Leinster Senior Football Championship.
James McGivney's reckless challenge on the Dubs keeper left him needing treatment in the Mater Hospital.
The forward barreled into Cluxton after the keeper had punched the ball clear, the veteran Dubs keeper was unable to continue after the awkward landing.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">This really was despicable. Has a look, spots Cluxton, then sets out to hurt him. <a href="https://t.co/mqCLyrzbgE">pic.twitter.com/mqCLyrzbgE</a></p>— Darren Cleary (@RadioCleary) <a href="https://twitter.com/RadioCleary/status/1005858269909397504?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 10, 2018</a></blockquote>
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It was Cluxton’s first time not finishing a championship game for Dublin in 15 years. The last time the keeper departed the field of play before the finish was the All Ireland qualifier defeat to Armagh in 2003. He was sent off for a kick on an Armagh player.
Manager Jim Gavin admits he didn’t get a good look at the collision in question and described the issue as a lower back injury:
“Being very honest about it, it was hard to see from the angle I had on the 45 on the other half”, Gavin said after the 19 point victory.
“It was just a mid-air collision, that’s all I saw. These things happen. He just got a blow to the lower back, I think.”
Dub sub keeper Evan Comerford finished the game, he showed signs of nerves early on but settled as the game went on and competently executed the Dubs much vaunted quick kick out plans. Gavin was pleased with the 20-year-old’s contribution:
“We can see his progress on the training field, he’s been working really hard with Josh Moran and Stephen and you can see he’s very diligent, he applies himself really well.
“He’s got a great attitude and you saw there that there was a seamless transition which was credit to Evan and his application over not just the last number of weeks but months and years.”
