Fermanagh will have to do without Ruairi Corrigan for their Division Two National League campaign after manager Pete McGrath confirmed that the Kinawley playmaker is set to undergo surgery on a shoulder injury sustained in the Intermediate Championship final against Tempo.

It had been hoped that Corrigan would not require surgery and would be back early in the league but that is not now the case and he is set to be sidelined for four months with the championship game against Monaghan now the target for the forward.

“Ruairi has had surgery on his shoulder and you are talking four months,” said McGrath. “It’s a set back for him personally and it’s a set back for us as he is one of our key players but all inter-county teams come up against these long term injury issues and you just have to get on with it. If Ruairi does all the rehab and keeps himself in shape, which I’m sure he will, then the healing process can be quicker. I would like to think that he will be available for the Monaghan match in the championship and if he got the tail end of the league that would be a bonus.”

McGrath though is expecting that full forward Sean Quigley will be back for the league opener against Down in Newry after he recently underwent groin surgery.

“Sean had a bit of groin surgery and he won’t play in our first McKenna Cup match and maybe not even our second but if he is able to get some game time in our third McKenna Cup match then all the better although we won’t be putting him into competitive football until he is physically ready for it. However, I would like to think that Sean will be available for selection for our first National League match,” he commented.

Another player who is a doubt for the Down game is midfielder Ryan Jones although McGrath stresses that it is a case of wait and see with the Derrygonnelly clubman.

“He is a possible doubt with a hip flexor problem that he has had for this last number of years and which has got more acute. The league though is still four weeks away so hopefully he will be available for that. We just have to wait and see as far as Ryan is concerned and like Richie O’Callaghan last year, he is a player that we just have to manage.”

Daryl Keenan has returned to the county set up for the season ahead after a couple of seasons plagued by back injury and McGrath is more than pleased with the progress of the Tempo man although the Fermanagh boss believes that people shouldn’t expect miracles from the player straight away.

“We would be very pleased with his progress and Daryl should be taking full part in our pitch sessions when we resume next week. Things are looking good and fingers crossed that will continue to be the case and I’m sure Daryl will be a big addition to our squad but you have to bear in mind that he hasn’t played football in a couple of years so we have to be patient with him. Hopefully though he will play a part in the league.”

McGrath also confirmed that a couple of players had left the panel.

“Pat Cadden simply couldn’t commit time wise, and Ryan Hanna has changed work which left things very difficult for him so they have both left the panel,” he added.