Kerry's plans for next Sundays All-Ireland quarter-final clash with Dublin were disrupted on Saturday when defender Killian Young dislocated his ankle and fractured his shin bone after an accidental clash with a team-mate in a final trial A v B game.
Young, who was removed by ambulance to Cork University Hospital, will be out for the rest of the season.
Kerry County Board chairman Patrick O'Sullivan O'Sullivan says he was "gutted" for the player as he had been going very well in training.
Positive note
"It is very disappointing for Killian himself because his form was returning and he was playing great football over the past few weeks and really looking forward to getting back to Croke Park and having a crack at the Dubs."
On a more positive note for Kerry manager Eamonn Fitzmaurice, all the other Kerry injury worries, including Tomás Ó Sé came through the game and O'Sullivan believes Fitzmaurice and his fellow selectors have enough cover to replace Young when they sit down tomorrow night to select the Kerry starting 15.
“The management have a week now to formulate a new formation and since all the lads interchange in training, it will not be too difficult.”
Fitzmaurice can call on two very experienced defenders in team captain Eoin Brosnan and the vastly experienced Aidan O'Mahony.
Uphill battle
O'Sullivan believes that Kerry face an uphill battle to beat Dublin.
“The match will be a sell out and Kerry fans are travelling in numbers but we are up against it this time and there is no doubt about it.
“Dublin are the form team, they have looked good all year. Dublin are favourites, they deserve to be, we have a mountain to climb, but we will be travelling up to try and upset the odds and we would not be the first Kerry team to do so”
