Worrying news has surfaced for Kerry fans about one of their emerging talents, Stefan Okunbor.
The Na Gaeil clubman suffered a serious-sounding shoulder injury in their All-Ireland Club Intermediate semi-final defeat to Derry champions Steelstown Brian Ógs.
As reported by Paul Brennan of The Kerryman, Okunbor was taken off towards the end of the game due to injury and the match was delayed for twenty minutes as a result.
According to reports, Okunbor left the pitch at the Connacht Centre of Excellence in Mayo by ambulance.
According to Brennan, the former AFL player was involved in a collision of sorts with Na Gaeil keeper Devon Burns as he tried to defend a Steelstown goal opportunity.
Na Gaeil manager Mark Bourke hasn't elaborated on the extent of the injury, only to say to Brennan it was bad. This would likely see him out of action for several weeks.
5 January 2022; Stefan Okunbor of Kerry in action against Robbie Bourke of Limerick during the McGrath Cup Group B match between Kerry and Limerick at Austin Stack Park in Tralee, Kerry. Photo by Brendan Moran/Sportsfile
Kerry manager Jack O'Connor will be distressed at the possibility of losing the talented midfielder for the coming weeks. The National League campaign begins tomorrow for the Kingdom.
Okunbor wouldn't have been expected to join the squad until next week given Na Gaeil's club championship run. He last featured for his county in the McGrath Cup earlier this month.
That game marked his first outing for Kerry since returning from a stint in the AFL. Okunbor spent three years in Australia with Aussie Rules' side Geelong.
He won a minor All-Ireland title back in 2016 before his journey down under. He was also on the Kerry U20 panel and was Player of the Year in that age bracket.
Ahead of tomorrow's Allianz National League return, former Kerry stalwart Marc Ó'Sé looked ahead to the match which will have interesting implications.
"Jack O’Connor has put out strong teams and this will be no different. Jack can definitely expect a hostile reception considering how he left Kildare," Ó'Sé said.
"That said, I still can’t see anything other than a comfortable win for Kerry," he added. "Considering you have the likes of Paul Geaney now playing in his preferred inside role."
"Then you have Tony Brosnan and Killian Spillane all looking for starting positions. The competition is going to be huge."
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