Derry's Wilkinson ruled out for the season

Derry forward Raymond Wilkinson has been ruled out for the rest of the inter-county season after sustaining a serious knee injury in the Allianz Football League Division II final against Westmeath last Sunday.

A scan revealed that the Ballinderry clubman suffered a partial cruciate tear, lateral ligament damage and possible cartilage damage in the six-point win.

The game was delayed for several minutes as Wilkinson was treated on the pitch before being stretchered off after falling awkwardly in an incident in the second half of the game.

Brian McIver, the Derry manager, says he is 'gutted' for Wilkinson, but backed him to make a full recovery from the injury for both club and county.

Meanwhile, Down midfielder Dan Gordon's tale of injury woe continues as he has sustained a broken bone in his foot shortly after recovering from the exact same injury.

Gordon looked to be on the verge of a return to the inter-county fold with the Mourne men ahead of the championship after coming through a club game with Loughinisland over the weekend unscathed. However, he cruelly broke a bone in his foot while training with the club on Monday night.

Gordon will definitely miss the Ulster GAA Football Championship quarter-final clash with Derry on June 2 as a result.