Injury woes worsen for Tipperary as U20 All Ireland winner ruled out for 2023

The Tipperary senior hurlers have been dealt another injury blow with the news that Loughmore Castleiney player Ciaran Connolly will miss the 2023 campaign due to a hip injury.

Connolly, who won an U20 All Ireland title at midfield under Liam Cahill back in 2019, will require surgery on a persistent hip injury which has effectively ruled him out of contention for 2023.

After impressing at colleges and club level in 2021 and early 2022 by winning the Fitzgibbon Cup with University of Limerick, along with a county title with Loughmore Castleiney he has been touted to be a potential starter for Tipperary this year having been named on Cahill's initial 40-man league panel.

The midfielder opted out of Colm Bonner's Tipp panel in 2022 before going on to play a small part in the county championship with Loughmore Castleiney but a persistent hip problem required surgery late last year, and despite working his way back into training, the issue has persisted and will now need further surgery to rectify.

Liam Cahill is losing players at a frightening pace as this news comes on the back of recent injuries to Ger Browne (knee), Paddy Cadell (knee), Niall O'Meara (groin), Cathal Barrett (shoulder), and coupled with long term absentees in Barry Heffernan and Craig Morgan, it will be a real challenge for Cahill to keep his panel fit before the start of championship in April.