CORK ARE SET to plan without key player Mark Coleman for their 2023 hurling season due to a knee injury.

The news, first reported today by The Irish Examiner, robs new manager Pat Ryan of a major option in his team.

The42 understands that Coleman’s knee problem was originally envisaged to see him miss Cork’s league campaign.

But with surgery required to correct the knee problem and the new compressed programme of fixtures meaning the inter-county season will end next July, the Cork management are planning for the prospect of not having Coleman available to them next year.

Coleman, who turns 25 later this week, has been a regular in the Cork line-up since his breakthrough season in 2017. He made his senior championship debut in the 2016 qualifier against Wexford, while fresh out of the minor ranks, and the Blarney man nailed down a starting spot the year after.

He was an All-Star award winner at left half-back in 2017, while was also nominated for Young Hurler of the Year, both in 2017 and 2018.

Coleman captained the Cork hurlers this year for the 2022 season.