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GAA

Down and out: Broken ankle 'robs' Mournemen of Coulter

Teammate, Danny Hughes, is hoping Down can remain in the Championship long enough to keep the window open for a Coulter return.

DOWN’S HOPES OF repeating their superb Championship run of 2010 were dealt a crushing blow yesterday with confirmation that star forward, Benny Coulter, sustained a broken ankle.

Coulter suffered the injury while in action with his club Mayobridge on Monday night.

Speaking to RTE’s Brian Carthy, fellow Down forward, Danny Hughes felt that Coulter would be a huge loss to League semi-finalists:

“It’s disappointing for Benny,” said Hughes, “because we were really looking forward to this Ulster Championship campaign more than anything else.

“It presents a good opportunity for us to get a bit of silverware, but obviously, we’ve been robbed of Benny Coulter.”

Hughes, himself recovering from a hamstring injury, went on to suggest a possible return date from the injury and underlined that he and his  must give Coulter every chance of playing county football this summer:

“I would say he’ll probably be in plaster for six to eight weeks. Then whatever rehab there is after that. I experienced somehing similar myself and it does take you a while to get back.

“It’s up to us to give Benny a reason to push himself on and get back and get there hopefully for the latter end of the Championship.”

The loss of Coulter comes as a double blow after full back Dan Gordon also sustained an ankle injury in last month’s league meeting with Laois.

Coupled with the loss of Martin Clarke to Australian rules, the Down attack will have to reinvent itself over the summer and much of the onus will now rest on the shoulders of Conor Laverty.

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