THE GALWAY FOOTBALLERS have been dealt a big blow with promising defender Colin Forde ruled out for the year after moving to England to work.
Forde, who captained Galway to the 2011 All-Ireland U-21 title, is a physiotherapist and has taken up a position with a hospital in London. He played at full-back and corner-back for the Galway seniors in last year’s championship
Manager Alan Mulholland said that Forde would be a big loss and that he has been ruled out for at least a year.
Mulholland is already planning without Michael Meehan for the opening to rounds of the league and also confirmed the Killererin defender will not be available.
“Colin has emigrated to London. He has taken up a job as a physio in a hospital over in London. He is definitely going to spend at least a year over there. He is gone from our point of view, which is a pity,” said Mulholland, who was Forde’s manager in that triumphant U21 campaign in 2011.
As well as Meehan’s ankle injury, the Tribesmen will definitely be without the services of Garreth Bradshaw (ankle), Conor Doherty (knee), Gary O’Donnell (hip), John O’Brien (groin) and Keith Kelly (hip) for their opening two games away to Meath and at home to Donegal.
There are also injury doubts surrounding Dave O’Connell (finger), Greg Higgins (hip) and Mike Farragher (hamstring).
“We are missing a few lads, four of five of them are missing from the full deck. To counteract that after the FBD League, we have a few lads back from the colleges to pick from too.
“The first couple of games are going to be a little bit difficult to reintegrate the guys back and see what the best 15 is. Meath are going well, so it’s a very tough start for us,” he said.
