IRELAND’s Cian O’Connor has been ruled out of competition for six weeks after sustaining a groin injury at the three-star show in Eschweiler, Germany.

O’Connor will miss the upcoming superleague Nations Cup at La Baule (May 12th) and Rome (May 26th), where he was due to line out for Ireland.

The Olympic bronze medalist was jumping in the Grand Prix qualifier at the German show when he felt a tear going over a fence. An MRI on Monday showed he had torn a ligament in his groin, and it will be six weeks before he can return to competition.

Speaking to The Irish Field this morning, O’Connor said: “I had a bit of a fall at home before Christmas, I hurt myself then and at the time didn’t do any more about it. It was fine all through Florida, and then I was jumping one jump in Eschweiler and I felt a tear.

“I couldn’t balance at all, I had to come out of the ring, and it was very sore, I was white with the pain.

“The show organiser there, Helena Stormanns, was very good in pointing me in the right direction and I got to see a good doctor. It will be three weeks before I will get back to riding on the flat and six weeks until I’m back in the ring.”

O’Connor added: “I am disappointed to miss the Nations Cup in La Baule, I was on the team there with Callisto. I was then due to go to the Global Champions League in Madrid for Miami Glory, before the Nations Cup in Rome with Good Luck at the end of May. It is disappointing but there are more important things and I am fine and able to walk around and continue teaching my students.”