Ethan Rafferty is set to miss the first half of Armagh's 2019 Allianz Football League campaign.

The towering full forward underwent surgery in early August after dislocating his shoulder in the Orchard County's All-Ireland SFC qualifier win over Westmeath, and doesn't expect to return until February or March.

"I tore ligaments in my shoulder in a game against Sligo two years ago and I was looking at surgery then, but Paul Carragher (physio) helped me to get back," Rafferty told the Irish News.

"But he did always say that I was on borrowed time and that time came against Westmeath. At the start of the second half, I was trying to tackle one of their midfielders and we tripped each other. I put my arm out to break my fall and the force of me coming down dislocated it. 

"The surgery went well and I'm starting to get the strength into it again although it's a slow process and the full mobility wouldn't be there yet. I'll hopefully get that pre-Christmas and then focus from the turn of the year on getting the strength into it.

"There's no quick-fix and I haven't got a date for when I'll get back, but I'd like to play as much of the league as possible becuase I want to get a few competitive games in before the championship rolls around. It's going to be February or March, but if I can get a specific date it gives me a goal to really go for."

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