Jim McGuinness says Patrick McBrearty’s cruciate injury is ‘devastating’.
The 24-year-old’s season is over after a scan in Letterkenny on Monday confirmed his worst fears.
A heavy knock forced McBrearty out of Sunday’s Ulster final and, now, the Kilcar man is facing a long road of rehabilitation.
Seven years ago, McGuinness plucked the 17-year-old McBrearty and handed him his first Championship appearance.
“It’s a massive blow, it’s really a massive blow, a massive blow for Patrick obviously, his family, his club, the county, the supporters of Donegal,” McGuinness said.
“It’s just not the story people wanted to be waking up to in Donegal on the back of what has been an incredible season so far. This fusion of young talent, there’s an energy, skill, quality going forward, so it is devastating for him.
“He’s just a really quiet young fella that loves Gaelic football, and now he’s going to be sidelined from his own sport, that’s going to be very tough on him.
“We just hope he gets the best surgeon possible to work with him, to do the best job possible with him and get him back as quickly as possible.
“He’s 24, he’ll be 25 in August, he’s in his peak, there’s no doubt he was one of the best forwards in the country this season, he would have been an All-Star for me, nailed on, maybe he still will be. It’s a big blow, a huge blow.”
McGuinness believes Donegal can still have a big say in the All-Ireland series, in spite of the absence of the in-form McBrearty.
McGuinness said: “I still feel the energy they’ve created is there, they’ve embraced the championship, the younger guys have that medal in their pocket and they’ve experienced what it’s like to win an Ulster Championship and I think that will stand them in good stead.
“Obviously you’d want everybody available going in to play Dublin in Croke Park and that’s not going to be the case now.
“I think this is how Patrick reacts to this, and then as a result how the players react to this and then can you galvanise and just go for it, you know.”
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