One of Carlow's main players departs panel just weeks ahead of Leinster clash with Louth

Carlow have been dealt a significant blow ahead of their Leinster Senior Football Championship opener against Louth next month with the news that star-player Brendan Murphy has departed the panel.

The midfielder is due to spend the summer in America having helped the Barrowsiders to clinch promotion from Division Four earlier this Spring.

At 29, the Rathvilly clubman has been part of the Carlow panel since 2010 and played an integral role, including scoring the late winning point, in the county's 0-14 to 0-13 victory over Louth in the 2011 Leinster Championship quarter-final in Portlaoise.

He also lined out at centre-field when the Wee County exacted revenge for that defeat two seasons ago.

Nonetheless, Louth manager Pete McGrath has concerns himself following the injury picked up by Ryan Burns last weekend, while Jim McEneaney is in a race against time to be fit for the March 13 clash.