Gardiner believes he still has 'something to offer' Cork hurling

John Gardiner feels he still has "something to offer" to the Cork hurlers.

The Na Piarsaigh clubman will not be part of the squad as the Rebels face Clare in Sunday's All-Ireland final at Croke Park after he was dropped by manager Jimmy Barry-Murphy before the start of the season.

"I still think I have something to offer," he said.

Gardner has admitted that not being part of the set-up is hard to take.

He said he felt "a little hard done by. We have given our life to the thing really since I broke onto the panel at 19, for ten years or eleven seasons.

"I would have liked if it was my own decision. It just didn't work out that way."

When asked if he thought his role in the disputes that rocked Cork hurling in recent years might explain his omission, Gardiner said: "We were seen as the front runners in the whole thing, even though the panel was unanimous.

"I happened to be captain of the team when all that stuff was going on so my name is out there a lot more than other guys. Look, I asked the question straight up, was there anything in it and he said there wasn't. He said it wasn't anything like that."