Dundalk confirm broken leg for captain Stephen O'Donnell

Dundalk captain Stephen O'Donnell faces a long period on the sidelines after the club confirmed he will undergo surgery for a broken leg sustained during Friday's 2-1 defeat to Waterford.

The club revealed the 32-year-old sustained a fractured tibia following a clash with Blues striker Ismahil Akinade, who scored both Waterford's goals on the night.

The former Arsenal, Falkirk and Shamrock Rovers midfielder now faces a long period of recovery after suffering his second serious leg injury in four years.

Galway man O'Donnell tore his anterior cruciate ligaments during a 2-2 draw with his former club Shamrock Rovers.

On that occasion, the captain returned in time to score the first goal in his side's winner-takes-all victory over Cork City that saw them seal the first of three straight league titles.

O'Donnell is one of the most decorated players in Irish football, having won five Premier Division titles with three clubs and competed in the Europa League groups with both Rovers and Dundalk.

“Stephen has a broken leg,” Dundalk manager Stephen Kenny told the club's official website.

“The bottom line is that he broke his tibia. He will be having surgery over the weekend. We’ll see from there.

“He heard a crack when it happened. It is too early to estimate how long he will be out for. We will know more after the surgery. “