CORK HURLERS HAVE been hit hard by injuries ahead of their Bord Gáis Energy Munster U21 hurling opener against Waterford on Wednesday night.
Several members of Cork’s squad are unavailable for the quarter-final clash in Páirc Rinn.
“Stephen Murphy (who started last year) in defence badly damaged his finger in the Fitzgibbon Cup and he’s about five weeks into an eight-week recovery programme at the moment,” revealed Cork boss Damien Irwin.
“Then Dillon Cahill has a damaged shoulder and Aaron Ward hurt his wrist in a club game with Douglas. Cathal Cormack has a pubic bone injury while Barra O’Connell is out with a hamstring problem.
Long-Term
“Trevor Horgan is a long-term injury absentee and Michael Cahalane hasn’t been involved this year as due to a heart condition.”
Cork are also without Pa O’Callaghan, a minor star in 2012 and 2013, who isn’t involved at inter-county level this year while Peter Kelleher is unavailable due to his involvement with the Cork senior football squad.
Five members of the Cork squad have been sitting Leaving Cert exams over the past week but are all available on Wednesday night.
“Darren Browne, Eddie Gunning, Patrick Collins, Dayne Lee and Luke Meade have all been sitting their exams,” says Irwin.
“They’re all nearly finishing up now. We knew this situation months ago and all the lads committed to our panel.
“We’ve a very dedicated, spirited and talented bunch this year. But we only have about seven survivors from last year’s panel that reached the Munster final so it’s a very different setup.
“We’ve lot of 19 year-old’s and 20 year-old’s in the squad so it’s a completely new experience for a lot of them.”
Cork
1. Patrick Collins (Ballinhassig)
2. Darren Browne (Kanturk)
3. Alan Dennehy (Charleville)
4. Sean O’Donoghue (Inniscarra)
5. Dave Noonan (Glen Rovers)
6. Conor Twomey (Newtownshandrum) (c)
7. Niall Cashman (Blackrock)
8. Rickard Cahalane (Ballymartle)
9. Martin Brennan (Fermoy)
10. Kevin O’Neill (Watergrasshill)
11. Killian O’Connor (Mallow)
12. Darren Casey (Charleville)
13. Mark O’Connor (Douglas)
14. Anthony Spillane (Castlelyons)
15. Luke Meade (Newcestown)
Subs
16. Jack Barry (Castlelyons)
17. Jack Buckley (Charleville)
18. Mark O’Keeffe (Fr. O’Neills)
19. Kieran Histon (Cobh)
20. Shane Hegarty (Dungourney)
21. Dayne Lee (Na Piarsaigh)
22. David Geary (Fermoy)
23. Donal Hannon (Newmarket)
24. Patrick Herlihy (Mallow)