Rodgers out of football for nine months

AMBROSE RODGERS will be out of football for up to nine months after having his spleen removed in an emergency operation on Saturday night

WRITES COLM KEYS, IRISH INDEPENDENT

Rodgers underwent the procedure after being hospitalised following a blow sustained late in Down 's qualifier loss to Wexford .

Incredibly, he is the third member of his own Longstone club team to have his spleen removed because of a football collision in the last five years.

Ryan Kelly and Gerard Quinn have both had the same experience but have made full recoveries.

Rodgers will remain in hospital for up to 10 days as a precaution but can expect to play football again in 2009.

Down's joint manager Ross Carr said Rogers was feeling better yesterday as he recovered in the Mater Hospital .

"He was sore and agitated on Saturday and Sunday but he was in better spirits yesterday," said Carr, who explained that the risk of infection to the body is higher when the spleen is removed.

"It's incredible to think that two of his club colleagues have had the same procedure because of football," said Carr.

Rodgers only returned to the squad in May after being out for a year with a cruciate ligament tear.