Prendergast out of action for a month

THE injuries are mounting for Cork coach Donal O’Grady ahead of next month’s All-Ireland SHC semi-final.

With centre-forward Niall McCarthy struggling with a broken finger, the latest casualty is Mark Prendergast who, following x-rays, has been diagnosed with a fractured bone in his spine and has been ruled out of action for up to a month.

The Na Piarsaigh player, who came on at corner-back for Diarmuid O’Sullivan in the Munster SHC final against Waterford and did extremely well, picked up the injury in the recent shock SFC victory over Nemo Rangers, but was only diagnosed in the past few days, following x-rays.

This latest news comes as a double blow both to the player and his club who are already without Setanta Ó h-Ailpín (suspended) ahead of Wednesday night’s county SHC against Imokilly at Riverstown.

With two of their four inter-county players unavailable, Na Piarsaigh’s task of beating the East Cork divisional side now becomes all the harder.

However, Imokilly are not without their injury worries also and could be without Niall McCarthy and Jason Barrett, both of whom have finger injuries. The Carrigtwohill players are also members of the county squad.