Davoren's worst fears realised

Luckless Dublin forward Mark Davoren's worst fears have been realised with confirmation that he has torn cruciate knee ligaments for the second time in 14 months.

The Kilmacud Crokes clubman faces another summer on the sidelines - pending the outcome of an MRI scan - after he suffered a tear to the AC ligament in his right knee in his comeback game over the weekend.

Davoren was making his long-awaited return to football for Crokes in a challenge match against Meath outfit Trim after suffering the initial cruciate damage last summer.

The rangy full-forward came on as a second-half sub after being cleared to play by the Dublin management, but almost immediately the same knee buckled and he was forced to leave the field in agony.

Davoren has been out of action since he damaged his cruciate knee ligament in the Leinster Championship clash with Meath on June 7.

He had undergone an intensive rehabilitation programme over the winter months and was hopeful of returning to the Dublin fold ahead of this summer's Championship.

However, the Kilmacud Crokes star may now be forced to sit out a second successive inter-county Championship campaign.