McGinley is out for a year

Tyrone will have to defend their All-Ireland title next year without key utility player Enda McGinley.

The Errigal Ciaran man will be out of action for up to a year after rupturing cruciate and medial ligaments in a club game.

McGinley, one of eleven All-Star nominees from the Red Hand county, is facing surgery within the next few weeks, followed by a lengthy rehabilitation period stretching into the late summer of 2006.

Tyrone manager Mickey Harte said the news had come as a severe blow, and his club colleagues absence will be a huge loss.

''It certainly is a big blow. He's a very good player and he's a very versatile player. We have used his versatility to the maximum over the last season, and it's great to have players like that who can adapt and give you a big commitment in various parts of the field," said Harte.

The injury-prone McGinley did not start Errigal Ciaran's SFC quarter-final clash with Moy due to a thigh injury sustained in the All-Ireland final, and was stretchered off in the closing stages, having come in as a substitute 11 minutes into the second half.

"I think the cruciate ligament and the medial ligament are both damaged," said Harte.

"He'll have to be in a cast for a number of weeks to get the medial ligament fixed first, and then get an operation on the cruciate. He was due to get a scan, but at this stage the physio is convinced that it's a very serious injury.

"If it's as bad as it sounds, you're talking late summer before he would be ready to play football again. It looks as if he's definitely out for next season, but being the determined individual that he is, and he has fought back from injury before, I'm sure he will be back as fast as anyone can be back."