Meath's Eamon Wallace has become the latest player to be struck down by cruciate ligament injury. He did the damage in the county's Leinster under-21 quarter-final replay against Lough and scans yesterday confirmed the worst fears of the player and his manager Mick O'Dowd.

An excellent athlete, Wallace’s speed on the ball was a major weapon in the county’s encouraging championship showing last year, which featured a battling Leinster final display against eventual All-Ireland winners Dublin and a similarly competitive defeat by All-Ireland semi-finalists Tyrone.

Wallace will miss the rest of the year and is the third high-profile attacker in the last month to have his season ended by this injury. Kerry All Star Colm Cooper and Dublin's up-and-coming half forward Ciarán Kilkenny have already suffered the same fate.