Concerns are growing in Kilkenny about the injuries that cost them three starters within the first 25 minutes of Sunday’s Leinster championship defeat by Wexford – particularly for All Star Adrian Mullen, who is believed to have fractured a thumb and will undergo surgery.
Sources in the county fear that the injury could potentially end his season given the prognosis for such fractures suggests up to six weeks recovery. Mullen a former Young Hurler of the Year has been extremely unfortunate with injuries and only this year missed his club Ballyhale Shamrocks’ latest All-Ireland club success with hamstring damage.
He also missed a year after injuring his cruciate in February 2020.
All Star corner back Mikey Butler and forward Martin Keoghan both sustained leg injuries in the first quarter of the match and scan results are awaited to assess the severity.
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Manager Derek Lyng expressed concern after the match about the injuries even in advance of the prognoses.
It meant that a third of the named Kilkenny team were missing less than half an hour into the match, as Richie Reid and Paddy Deegan were both withdrawn before the start.
Reid hadn’t fully recovered from an ankle injury sustained against Dublin in the recent championship encounter whereas Deegan is still not quite ready, having required surgery last month for a knee injury picked up in the league final against Limerick.
