John Caulfield confirms captain Dunleavy unlikely to play again this season

Cork City boss John Caulfield has confirmed that captain John Dunleavy is unlikely to play again this season after suffering a fresh knee injury in the 4-1 win over Limerick at Turner's Cross on Friday.

City medics initially thought the injury was unlikely to be serious enough to keep him out for a long period of time, however it now appears the luckless defender faces another protracted period of recovery.

“The indications aren't good, contrary to what we thought after the match,” Caulfield said at the club's regular midweek press conference.

“It's his knee and it doesn't look good. Certainly it looks as though he's going to be out for quite a while.

“We're just waiting on confirmation of that, which is a terrible blow to himself but that's the way it is.”

Caulfield confirmed it's not a recurrence of any of the long-term injuries that have kept the Donegal out in recent seasons.

Dunleavy missed most of the 2015 season after suffering a meniscal injury against Dundalk and missed ten months after having surgery last year on a freak knee injury sustained in training.

“We're hoping that it may not be [a season-ending injury] but the indications are it possibly we will.

“And even if it wasn't, if he was OK by the end of September, start of October, to start training then would be too late anyway.

“It's a desperate blow for himself – and obviously a desperate blow for us – because he has had a number of different injuries, which has been unusual. For him, it's not a good place at the moment.”

There was some positive news for Caulfield as Burton Albion loanee Ryan Delaney and Alan Bennett are expected to be fit for Friday's clash with Derry City in Buncrana.

Delaney limped off during City's Munster Senior Cup final win over Wilton United last Monday, while Bennett was forced off late in the win over Limerick as City finished the game with ten men.

“Ryan Delaney is back in training, so he's OK, and Benno is 50/50 to the weekend so we'll we'll wait til Thursday. But the big blow is Johnny.”

And Caulfield expects to wrap up a deal to extend Delaney's stay on Leeside soon. The Wexford native's loan was due to expire of June 30^th but Caulfield is hopeful of making his move permanent.

“He's here with us obviously for Friday and obviously for Europe. It's close. We'd hope that maybe in the next few days it would sort itself out.”