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The University of Louisville football team has lost its second right guard to a career ending injury this season.

Sophomore Mike Donoghue was diagnosed with congenital spinal stenosis. A specialist in Indianapolis diagnosed that his spinal cord had tightened and there was no longer any fluid to protect the cord from further injury.

Donoghue suffered the injury in the 3rd quarter of the Cards’ win against the University of Cincinnati. The game against the Bearcats was his seventh start this season.

“I feel for Mike a great deal,” said head coach Steve Kragthorpe. “Mike was developing into a good football player, but he was also a tremendous person. We are disappointed he will no longer have the opportunity to play football at Louisville, but he will always be a member of the Cardinals’ football family. Our thoughts and prayers are with Mike during this difficult time.”

The 6-foot-2, 300-pound Donoghue figured to be a staple on the Cardinals offensive line for the next couple of years. He came to U of L as a highly touted prospect from Covington, Ky. He was a three year starter at Covington Catholic High School and didn’t allow a sack in his varsity career. He was selected first team all-state by the Courier-Journal as a senior and was named the top offensive lineman in Class AAA.

Junior marketing major Rob Grimes, who played with Donoghue at Cov. Cath., said the injury is very unfortunate because Donoghue had been working to play college football his whole life and it was a dream of his.

Donoghue was thrust into the starting role this season following a preseason injury to senior Marcel Benson in August. Benson, who stands 6-foot-6, 310 pounds, was sidelined with heart difficulties, and later found that he would be unable to continue his career.

Donoghue’s replacement appears to be junior college transfer Abdul Kuyateh who started against the University of Connecticutt this past Friday. Kuyateh, a 6-foot-3, 290-pound junior came to Louisville from Reedly Community College, located in California. He was rated a 4-star junior college prospect by scout.com.