Cork tight-lipped on injured Harnedy’s chances

Cork attacker Seamus Harnedy is a doubt for the All-Ireland SHC final replay, it has emerged.

The St. Ita’s clubman, who has played a starring role for the Rebels in their run to the All-Ireland final, has not played a full part in recent training sessions.

Cork management were tight-lipped yesterday on Harnedy’s chances of playing in Saturday evening’s replay with Clare in Croke Park, but sources close to the team indicated the wing-forward is feeling the effects of a knock picked up in the drawn game with the Banner. Harnedy required medical attention when fouled in the opening 10 minutes of the drawn game but was able to continue and finished the game.

If he is ruled out for Saturday evening then Cian McCarthy and Stephen Moylan, both of whom impressed when coming on as substitutes two weeks ago, will come into the reckoning to start.

McCarthy is viewed as favourite to come in as he offers a puck out option for the Rebels, who lost the aerial battle with the Clare half back line in the first game. The Sarsfields player competed strongly for Cork puck outs in his brief time on the pitch before going off injured, but he is understood to have recovered well and impressed in training in the last fortnight.

Cork management have rubbished suggestions on Leeside that footballer Ciarán Sheehan is poised for a dramatic call up to the hurling squad, however.

There were rumours Sheehan, who featured on the Rebel football side which won Sam Maguire in 2010 and who is also a talented hurler, had played in a practice game with the hurlers at a behind-closed-doors training session last week, but management sources said yesterday there was no substance to those stories.