By Michael McMullan

DERRY manager Rory Gallagher will have to plan without Oisin McWilliams who sustained a broken jaw in Sunday’s defeat to Galway and is expected to have surgery in the coming days.

Gallagher is already without the suspended Gareth McKinless after his red card on Sunday and will be forced into another change.

McWilliams and Galway’s Paul Conroy jumped for a Galway kick-out in the 56th minute, with the Derry man ending up on the ground.

On the advice of his linesman, who was placed in front of the incident, referee Sean Hurson issued a red card to Conroy for a strike.

McWilliams played on for a further six minutes before signalling to the sideline that he was unfit to continue and was replaced bv Shea Downey.

“I thought it was very harsh on Paul (Conroy),” commented Padraic Joyce after the game, indicating a likely appeal.

“His hand did make contact with the Derry player but I don’t think it was a striking action, it was more to try and get some separation from himself and they Derry player…Paul actually won the free.”

It was a 16th Derry senior appearance for McWilliams since making his debut in the McKenna Cup against Monagan in Derry’s first game of Gallagher’s tenure.

After playing a central role in Derry’s run to the 2017 All-Ireland minor final, he attracted attention from AFL scouts and went on trial with North Melbourne.

McWilliams started the last four games and will be a blow to Derry’s plans for the rest of the season.

On the plus side, Shane McGuigan will be available for selection to take on a Meath a game Derry must win if they are to have any chance of promotion.

READ MORE – Derry beat at home to Galway. Click here…