Bird faces stint on the sideline after injury

There was bad news for Meath hurlers today ahead of the Kehoe Cup final against Kildare at Newbridge tomorrow when goalkeeper Charlie Bird sustained an injury that will definitely rule him out of manager Cillian Farrell's starting 15.

Bird lined out at full-back today for Meath in the opening round of the Leinster MFL, a game meath won by a point against Dublin, but the Boardsmill man was stretchered-off only 10 minutes into the contest.

The Meath player sustained a collar bone injury and faces a number of weeks in recovery mode.

Bird played for Meath in the first three round of the Kehoe Cup and had been named in the starting 15 for Sunday's decider, but it's now likely that Shane McGann will take over between the posts.

Meath lost last year's Kehoe Cup final against Kildare, but have showed good form this year in the qualifying rounds for tomorrow's decider and could lift the silverware. Throw-in at Newbridge is at 2pm.

Conall Collier