Ankle injury for Preston North End keeper Connor Ripley means proposed loan switch to Ireland for Michael Crowe is cancelled

Ripley suffered an ankle ligament injury in a friendly game against Oldham earlier in the week and is set for a lengthy spell on the sidelines.

As a consequence, a loan move for Crowe to League of Ireland side Waterford United was cancelled as he will be needed to provide cover for Declan Rudd.

Speaking at Springfields on Thursday morning, PNE manager Alex Neil said: "We had a bounce game at the training ground and unfortunately Connor got injured.

"There was an innocuous ball going out of play and Connor just went to shepherd it out.

"He went over on his ankle doing so and it doesn't look great.

"It is definitely a ligament, he has probably snapped a ligament and we are just hoping it is a ligament and nothing more."

Ripley, 25, has been on the bench for the last four games since signing from Middlesbrough in early January.

Michael Crowe is staying at Preston after a loan to Waterford was cancelled

In his absence, Crowe and Mathew Hudson can cover for Rudd.

Neil said: "Michael Crowe was going to Waterford on loan but that has been cancelled.

"We have Mathew Hudson in the building too but it is important we still have two senior keepers.

"Michael was about five minutes from getting on the ferry to go to Ireland."