The Fossa star, who is in line to pick up a first All-Star in Dublin this day fortnight and scored 2-5 for his divisional side against Dingle, has put off the surgery to lead East Kerry’s attack.

Earlier in the year, the 20-year-old suffered a hamstring setback after playing in three matches in the space of seven days.

The news will come as a concern for Kerry supporters given the difficulty James O’Donoghue had in returning to full fitness following two shoulder operations.

The 2014 footballer of the year had a procedure on his left shoulder in late 2015 having had one on his right close to 12 months earlier.

Following on from the retirements of Kieran Donaghy, Donnchadh Walsh, Anthony Maher, and Darran O’Sullivan, it means new manager Peter Keane will be looking at a host of new combinations in Kerry’s front eight over the early part of 2019.

Meanwhile, as the GAA embarks on another referees recruitment drive, national match officials manager Pat Doherty accepts the GAA has to encourage more of their members to become referees.

Why is it difficult to recruit them? We ran a campaign four years ago which was quite successful for numbers. It’s probably that we need to be more proactive. If you take any volunteer — you’re going to get a volunteer by asking him or her. Maybe we haven’t been asking enough.

“We will have a focus on recruitment. Following on then, the retention.

“Have we got the proper hand-holding mechanism in place? The focus is on mentoring the new referee, making sure we get him or her through the first six or eight or 10 months.”

Aaron Hoey is one of a few former inter-county players who has moved into officiating and it’s something Doherty would like to see more of.

“We do have a number of referees that are former inter-county players. Maybe not at the highest level. We put out a recruitment plan four years ago, looked as in terms of fast-tracking. Did they bite? The answer is no.

“I fully respect where intercounty players come from, their follow-on appears to be towards coaching, then maybe media. We’d be delighted if more became referees, but being realistic we’re not going to get a big number.

We have David Sweeney, formerly Laois, referring in Dublin. Anthony Nolan and John Keenan played for Wicklow. Former Dublin footballer Dermot Deasy. Does it (playing experience) make them a better referee? I don’t know.

Doherty and others have been loath to introduce a TV match official but a review will now be conducted into whether it would benefit top level Gaelic games.

“We’ll see what the review says but that will be part of the review, what cameras we have, shooting down the line, at an angle, but it wouldn’t be fair or right to pre-empt.”