Rossa are planning without McCluskey

MAGHERAFELT will be without Derry’s All-Star defender Conor McCluskey for the foreseeable future.

‘Clucky’ will undergo an operation this week on a groin injury that hampered him through his season with Derry and will be out “long term” according to Rossa joint manager Brian McGuckin.

After missing the first three McKenna Cup games, he started the McKenna Cup final win over Donegal before playing every minute of Derry’s all 14-game league and championship season.

Magherafelt, beaten senior finalists in 2023, begin their championship campaign away to Steelstown on Friday night.

Derry CCC have arranged the championship into two groups of six with the top four in each section advancing to the quarter-finals.

“We are hoping that our season is prolonged and that we can get him back in the next couple of months,” McGuckin told Gaelic Life.

“It seemed to be an injury that he was trying to look after throughout the county campaign. It’s disappointing but it is what it is and we’ll just have to deal with it I suppose.”

McGuckin looks ahead to opener with Steelstown