Roscommon's preparations for Sunday week's Connacht SFC opener against Galway have been dealt a blow with the news that Donal Ward will miss the game through injury.

After missing the Allianz League campaign with a groin injury he sustained while playing for his club Western Gaels last August, the highly-rated wing back was poised for a return in the championship before suffering a recurrence of the injury in training recently.

Ward is now expected to be sidelined for another six weeks, meaning he could miss a potential Connacht SFC semi-final against Sligo, or the start of the All-Ireland qualifiers.

Roscommon manager Des Newton is expected to include a number of the U21s, who pushed Dublin all the way in last Sunday's Cadbury All-Ireland U21FC final, in his squad for the eagerly-awaited Hyde Park showdown as the Rossies go in search of their first championship victory over their Tribesmen since 2001. Tweet

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