LEINSTER AND IRELAND prop Cian Healy has undergone a minor knee operation in order to ensure he will be fit for the forthcoming Six Nations.

Healy started three games for Ireland at the World Cup. Source: Billy Stickland/INPHO

The 28-year-old limped off during Leinster’s win over Munster at Thomond Park on 27 December around 20 minutes after he had replaced Jack McGrath in the front row, with head coach Leo Cullen identifying a “twisted knee” as the issue.

The42 understands Healy has since had surgery on his knee in order to clear out the joint, although the recovery from surgery is expected to be swift. At this point, it is not expected that the loosehead will miss Ireland’s Six Nations campaign.

Healy is currently serving a two-match ban for striking with the knee in a Champions Cup meeting with Toulon in December, meaning he would have missed this weekend’s Guinness Pro12 clash with the Ospreys under the terms of that suspension.

Leinster are hopeful that Healy will be fit in time to feature in the Champions Cup meeting with Bath at the RDS on 16 January or at least the final round visit to Wasps on 23 January.

Academy loosehead Peter Dooley is set to feature for the province against the Ospreys on Friday night in Liberty Stadium (KO 7.45pm, Sky Sports)

The Clontarf FC man has had a tough time with injury in the past 15 months or so. Healy tore his hamstring off the bone in September 2014, while he was forced to undergo serious neck surgery in April of last year.

The loosehead limped off against Munster late last month. Source: Dan Sheridan/INPHO

The prop had some concerns over his recovery from that neck operation during the summer, but eventually returned to action in time to be named in Ireland’s World Cup squad. He started three games at the global tournament, including the quarter-final defeat to Argentina.

The ongoing strong performances of Healy’s provincial teammate McGrath mean the battle for Ireland’s number one shirt in the Six Nations is intense, while the likes of Dave Kilcoyne and Kyle McCall – who was not part of Ireland’s training camp yesterday – are also in good form.

Munster’s James Cronin was playing superbly before an ankle injury that makes him a Six Nations doubt, and Connacht’s Denis Buckley was similarly excellent up to being forced to undergo ankle surgery in December.

Ireland’s campaign starts against Wales in Dublin on 7 February.