Who's In, Who's Out: County by County Football Injury Guide

With niggles and pains often abounding after the winter, and with surgeries usually scheduled for this time of year, it's good to know the news on the injury front for your county around now. Keep up to date with GAA.ie's county by county guide in football.

Note: This is not a definitive list. If you think we've left someone out, let us know @officialgaa on Twitter.

ULSTER

Antrim

Forward Tomás McCann is currently recovering from an ankle injury and is expected to return for the Saffrons at some point during the Allianz League. Andy McClean is also nearing fitness again following a prolonged absence through injury.

Armagh

Armagh have a few injuries at the moment. Defender Declan McKenna will be out for a few weeks yet following a rehabilitation programme, but he has recovered well and is back in training. Full-back Brendan Donaghy picked up a leg injury towards the end of the club season and is currently undergoing an extensive rehabilitation programme. He is expected back towards the end of January.

Peter Carragher has an ongoing leg injury which needs rest before he can begin a rehabilitation programme, while attacker Charlie Vernon recently suffered a broken bone in his foot - he is expected to be back in training in around a month or so.

Cavan

Cavan don't have too many serious injury complaints at the moment, with the exception of wing-back Kevin Meehan, who tore his hamstring in the early stages of the Breffni County's game against Down. Kevin Tierney, Eugene Keating, Rory Dunne and David Givney are also all injured at the moment, although they are expected to return to action soon.

Derry

Star defender Gerard O'Kane is now back in full training following a very frustrating 2012, which saw him out of action for almost the entire season due to a recurring leg injury. Mark Craig and Michael Friel are also back in training, although they are still a few weeks short of match fitness.

The news is not so good for Ryan Scott. The Ballinderry defender suffered a cruciate knee injury in November and will be out for several months. Emmet Bradley is also out with a groin injury for the foreseeable future.

As for Paddy Bradley, his future remains unclear. He is currently recovering from a second cruciate ligament injury in as many years and said recently that he doesn't know if he will return at some stage or not.

"In terms of involvement, I don't know... They [the new management team/> have picked the panel and I'm not on it at the minute. I'm working with a personal trainer in the club, the club have paid for that. I'm working with the personal trainer three days a week.

"I plan to be back playing before May. If, when I come back, I'm able to get four or five club games under my belt in April, then whatever happens with the county, I don't know.." he said.

Donegal

The main injury concern for Donegal at the moment is 2012 Footballer of the Year Karl Lacey. Lacey underwent hip surgery before Christmas and will be out for several months, with a return before the end of the Allianz League looking unlikely at present.

Down

James McCartan is currently without three big name players due to injury. Daniel Hughes recently had an operation on a back injury and will be out for a few more weeks, before an expected return during the Allianz League.

Dan Gordon broke his foot around Christmas and he is expected to be out for around two months, while Ambrose Rogers recently had surgery on a knee injury and is also set for a lengthy enough recuperation. Another man on the injury list is Conor Braiden.

On the plus side for Down, Paul McComiskey recently returned to action following an 18-month absence due to a series of injury problems in 2012. He marked his return with a superb goal against Cavan in the Power NI Dr. McKenna Cup.

Fermanagh

Peter Canavan's Fermanagh will be without goalkeeper Ronan Gallagher for around three months due to a serious shoulder injury. He will be replaced for that period by either Chris Breen or Chris Snow. Elsewhere, Ryan McCluskey has recovered from the head injury that kept him out of the 2012 Championship.

Monaghan

Malachy O'Rourke has a fairly full deck to choose from at the moment.

Tyrone

Kyle Coney, who missed most of the 2012 season with a groin injury, has recovered from that problem but recently suffered an ankle injury while on his way back to fitness. He is expected to be back in action in a few weeks.

Colm Cavanagh will be out for a few weeks with a wrist fracture, while Ronan O'Neill and Ronan McNabb are also currently injured with knee and hip injuries respectively. The big positive for Tyrone so far in 2013 has been the return to fitness of Seán Cavanagh. The four-time GAA All Star has impressed for the Red Hand County in both their Power NI Dr. McKenna Cup matches to date.

CONNACHT

Galway

The Tribesmen have quite a few injury concerns ahead of their Allianz League campaign. Corner-back Kieran McGrath has a broken leg and his target for the season is to be back in time to play some part in his side's Championship campaign.

Other long-term absentees for Alan Mulholland's side include Thomas Flynn (knee surgery), Greg Higgins and Conor Doherty (both ankle). None of that trio are expected to be in contention until March at the earliest. John Egan (hamstring), Joss Moore (hamstring) and Gareth Bradshaw (knee) are also all currently injured but they are all expected to be available for Galway's Allianz League opener against Derry on February 3.

Adrian Faherty, Galway's goalkeeper last season, is currently working abroad and his availability for the Allianz League campaign remains uncertain.

Leitrim

Leitrim's only real long-term injury concern at the moment is over midfielder Darren Sweeney. He underwent ankle surgery before Christmas and is expected back in around two months.

Mayo

Mayo are one of the few counties in Ireland at the moment with not many serious long-term injury concerns, apart of course, from Andy Moran, who is still recovering from a cruciate knee injury sustained in last year's All-Ireland quarter-final clash against Down.

Roscommon

New Roscommon manager John Evans has a few minor injury worries at the moment - Geoffrey Claffey, Seán Purcell, Ciaran Cafferkey and Donie Shine are all currently unavailable, but all four are expected to be available for the Allianz League. Forward Darren McDermott is a longer-term injury concern.

Sligo

David Kelly is the major injury absentee for Sligo at the moment, with the talented forward having undergone ankle surgery recently.

Manager Kevin Walsh expects to be without Kelly for at least the entire Allianz League campaign, which is a blow to the attacker as he has suffered his fair share of injuries in recent seasons. Sligo already have to plan for 2013 without Alan Costello and David Maye, who have decided to emigrate, while Eamonn O'Hara's future is also in doubt, as he has yet to commit to the cause for another season.

LEINSTER

Carlow

A major boost to Carlow recently has been the return from injury of totemic midfielder Brendan Murphy. The former AFL player suffered a lacerated kidney late last year and was expected to be out until at least March as he recovered from the problem.

However, Murphy made a much quicker than expected return, and came on as a substitute in Carlow's opening Bord na Móna O'Byrne Cup game against Dublin, notching a superb point shortly after coming on. Two men who Carlow will be without for the 2013 Allianz League campaign are Pádraig Murphy and Tony Bolger, who will be abroad on duty with the Irish Army.

Dublin

Dublin have four significant injury worries at present. Alan Brogan was forced off in his side's All-Ireland semi-final defeat against Mayo last year, having only come on as a substitute at half-time. He has been diagnosed with Osteitis pubis, an inflammation of the pubis symphysis joint, the same injury which kept Mayo player Aidan O'Shea out for almost four months last season.

Brogan's exact return date is uncertain, but he may be back at some stage during the Allianz League. His attacking accomplice Eoghan O'Gara will also be out for the foreseeable future, having undergone surgery on a long-running hip problem recently. O'Gara aims to be available for selection by the end of the Allianz League campaign.

Defenders Cian O'Sullivan and Michael Fitzsimons are also both currently injured. O'Sullivan suffered a recurrence of a long-standing hamstring injury in Dublin's Bord na Móna O'Byrne Cup match against DCU last week, and will be hoping the injury is not as serious as previous hamstring problems he has had.

Kildare

Kildare are currently without Eamonn Callaghan and Daryl Flynn through injury, while former Cavan attacker Seán Johnston is also unavailable at the moment due to a calf injury sustained before Christmas.

Dermot Earley is also currently out due to a long-term knee injury, having suffered a recurrence of the problem he looked to have recovered from last year.

Laois

Laois don't have too many major injury worries at present but they will be without forward Paul Cahillane in 2013, with the Portlaoise man eager to take a break from the inter-county scene this year. On the plus side, Donie Kingston and Conor Meredith are back in the panel after an absence.

Longford

Paul Barden is Longford's major injury concern at the moment, with the swashbuckling attacker having been out since late last year. He will be aiming to return for the county at some stage during the Allianz League.

David Barden, Paul Kelly, Declan Reilly and Niall Mulligan are also all out injured at the moment.

Louth

Louth have a few minor injury niggles at the moment, but it has mostly been positive news in pre-season for new manager Aidan O'Rourke. Defender John O'Brien has returned to the panel after two years in Australia and is currently building up his match fitness. Brian White and Colm Judge are also back in the panel.

Meath

Meath have a few injury concerns at the moment, with Séamus Kenny, Shane McAnarney, Kevin Reilly, Alan Forde and Stephen Bray all currently unavailable.

Midfielder Mark Ward is currently not part of Mick O'Dowd's plans for 2013 as he is still struggling with a long-running ankle injury which has affected him for close to four years now.

Full-back Kevin Reilly underwent surgery on his Achilles in Sweden in November and is currently recovering after what was a successful operation. He is back running at the moment, and expects to be back available for Meath during the Allianz League.

Offaly

Offaly have started the season well under new manager Emmet McDonnell, and one of the reasons has been a lack of major injuries. They have had most of their big-name players available so far in their matches in the Bord na Móna O'Byrne Cup.

Westmeath

Westmeath have no confirmed major injury worries at the moment, although both Dessie Dolan and Denis Glennon went off injured for the county in their defeat to Offaly on Sunday. Dolan went off with a hamstring injury, while Glennon had a shoulder problem.

News on those injuries is expected in the coming days. Manager Pat Flanagan will be eager to have the pair fully fit fot the start of the county's Allianz League campaign, as both are central to the Lake County's hopes.

Wexford

Liam Óg McGovern is expected to be out for the year as he requires surgery on both hips. He played with the footballers in 2010 but was unavailable last year as he was away studying in Canada.

Lee Chin has a minor injury at the moment, but is expected back very soon.

Wicklow

The return of Paudge McWalter is a major boost for the Wicklow footballers in 2012. The St. Patrick's man suffered a very serious knee injury against Carlow in the championship in May 2010, and then suffered a recurrence of the injury when on the comeback trail in 2011.

McWalter, now 29, was excellent for St. Patrick's in their successful Wicklow Championship campaign late last year and has been in good form for the Garden County in their Bord na Móna O'Byrne Cup campaign so far in 2013.

On a more negative note, talismanic forward Leighton Glynn is still having trouble with an ankle injury sustained in last year's championship defeat to Meath.

MUNSTER

Clare

Clare lost a couple of players through injury in their McGrath Cup quarter-final defeat to Limerick at the weekend. Podge McMahon went off with a hamstring problem, while Alan Clohessy suffered an ankle injury. On the plus side, David Tubridy returned for Mick O'Dwyer's side after some recent groin troubles had sidelined him.

Cork

Cork have been fortunate on the injury front so far in 2013, and have only one major injury absentee at present - Patrick Kelly, who is currently recovering from hip surgery. He is expected to be out for several months, and could miss out on most, if not all, of his side's Allianz League campaign.

Kerry

Kerry have a few high profile players absent at the moment through injury. David Moran, Bryan Sheehan and Declan O'Sullivan are currently recovering from various complaints and problems.

Moran (cruciate), Sheehan (foot) and O'Sullivan (general wear and tear) are all expected to be out until the latter stages of the Allianz League, while Donnacha Walsh will be out for a little longer with a hip/groin problem. Kieran Donaghy will miss the first two rounds of the Allianz League as he will be away on honeymoon. He is getting married this Friday.

Limerick

Limerick were given a major boost recently with the news that midfielder John Galvin, who has been plagued by various injuries over the last few years, is in their panel for the McGrath Cup.

Limerick boss Maurice Horan hopes to have Galvin back playing in around two months' time, with Jim O'Donovan expected back around the same period. Stephen Lucey, who has also returned to the panel after injury, is expected back somewhat sooner.

Seánie Buckley underwent an MRI scan on Monday, with the exact nature of his injury problem currently unclear. Another potential injury absentee for Limerick at the moment is Ger Collins, who went off injured late on in Sunday's game against Clare.

Tipperary

Tipperary's major injury absentee at the moment is defender Philip Austin, who sustained damage to a shoulder joint in his side's stunning McGrath Cup victory over Cork on Sunday.

Austin has been ruled out for up to 10 weeks, meaning he will most likely miss all of the Premier County's Allianz League campaign in Division IV.

Waterford

Gary Hurney's quick return from injury, following minor surgery in December, has been a major boost for new Waterford boss Niall Carew in 2013. Hurney lined out in Waterford's win over UL in the McGrath Cup quarter-final at the weekend, scoring 0-5, 0-4 from play.

However, Carew will be without defender Thomas O'Gorman for the county's entire Allianz League campaign after the former Munster player suffered a number of shoulder injuries whilst playing for his club late last year. He may be out for up to six months.