Gaelic Games: John Leahy will know later today the extent of the injury he suffered at training last Wednesday. Tipperary's most experienced hurler twisted his knee and faces at least a two-month lay-off.

Exploratory surgery will reveal whether the damage is confined to the lateral ligament or extends beyond.

This setback comes just as Leahy was re-establishing himself after nearly a two-year absence from the inter-county scene caused by a cruciate injury in 2001. The current injury is to his other knee.

"We won't know until the surgeon has had a chance to look inside," according to Tipperary manager Michael Doyle. "That's the bottom line but the outlook isn't good. He's ruled out for the first round of the championship, which is very hard on him after the huge effort he put in to getting himself into good nick.

"When he came back into the panel I thought he was in very good shape and obviously had a good bit of work done himself. He was only now getting fully over the last injury. It's a wicked misfortune. When you're 32 it's a lot harder to get over these things than someone who's 21 or 22."

It was at training earlier in the week, according to Doyle, that the accident happened. "The ball came across and although there was no one near him he seemed to fall and knew he was in trouble right away." Leahy is in the care of the same specialist, Tadhg O'Sullivan, who treated that cruciate injury of two years ago. He will conduct the exploratory proceedure in Ardkeen hospital, Waterford today.

Leahy has been cursed with serious injury over the past few years. Nearly two years ago he suffered the cruciate ligament damage just seconds after coming on as a replacement in the championship match against Clare. Recovery was very hard and he consequently missed all of last season's championship.

His first appearance in a Tipperary jersey since that Clare match in June 2001 came last Sunday when he was brought off the bench for the league match against Galway. To undergo such a mishap within days of his county comeback is a desperate setback for the player.

As Doyle said, Leahy was in good shape. His return to fitness had been slow and thorough starting with the matches in which he helped his club Mullinahone - as player manager - win a first Tipperary title last November and nearly beat eventual champions Mount Sion in the Munster semi-final.

This is the fourth year running that the player has had his championship blighted by injury. A year before he was forced out of the quarter-final against Galway after tearing his ankle ligaments.

1994: After a magnificent league final display against Galway, he plays for the Tipperary footballers a week later in the championship against Clare and broke his ankle. Seven days later Tipperary were sensationally eliminated from the Munster hurling championship by Clare.

2000: Just after half-time in the All-Ireland quarter-final against Galway, he tears ankle ligaments and undermined by injury - Declan Ryan was already out and Eamonn Corcoran also had to be replaced - Tipperary are beaten.

2001: Having just come on as a replacement against Clare, Leahy falls awkwardly and is carried off having severed his cruciate ligament. In his absence Tipperary go on to win the All-Ireland.

2002: Misses entire season because of above injury.

2003: Injures other knee in training and misses at least beginning of championship.