THE CORK FOOTBALLERS have been hit with a setback as Sean Powter is set to miss the rest of their league campaign with a hamstring injury as he faces up to three months on the sidelines.
Powter limped off with the injury in the 48th minute of Cork’s league opener last Saturday night against Tipperary.
A scan has revealed the damage to his hamstring has transpired to be more severe than initially thought and The42 understands that Powter is now likely to have to sit out the remainder of Cork’s Division 2 clashes this spring.
The 20-year-old started at centre-forward on Saturday night in Páirc Uí Chaoimh and his absence was keenly felt in the closing stages by Cork as they fell to a six-point defeat.
Cork travel to Newry on Sunday to face Down for what will be the first of six outings they have between then and 25 March when they finish up with a trip to play Roscommon.
20-year-old Powter will also miss UCC’s Sigerson Cup campaign after being sidelined for yesterday’s opening round win over Garda College.
The Douglas club man made his championship debut for Cork in 2016 against Tipperary while still a Leaving Cert student.
He lined out for Cork in the 2016 All-Ireland U21 final against Mayo before making his senior league bow for the Rebels against Galway last spring and impressed last summer in the championship for Cork, particularly in their qualifier loss to Mayo.
Powter was subsequently drafted into the Irish international rules squad that took on Australia in Perth and Adelaide last November.
The loss of Powter represents another selection headache for Cork boss Ronan McCarthy in his debut season in charge. All-Ireland club commitments are currently ruling out the Nemo Rangers quartet of Paul Kerrigan, Stephen Cronin, Luke Connolly and Barry O’Driscoll, along with Kanturk’s Aidan Walsh.
Defender James Loughrey is out injured and attacker Donncha O’Connor is still working his way back to full fitness.
Cork saw goalkeeper Ken O’Halloran, defender Michael Shields and midfielder Alan O’Connor retire over the winter while Eoin Cadogan opted to join the county’s hurling squad for 2018.
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