Cork at strength for clash with Waterford

WITH Timmy McCarthy and Kieran Murphy fit, Cork will parade 14 of the side that started last year’s Guinness All-Ireland hurling final for next Sunday’s Munster SHC semi-final clash with Waterford at Semple Stadium.

The odd man out is Allstar corner-back Wayne Sherlock of Blackrock.

Sherlock has been on the injured list since sustaining a groin injury in last season’s Cork county championship semi-final against Na Piarsaigh but, following surgery, has made a rapid recovery.

He lined out in an ‘A’ v ‘B’ trial game last weekend and suffered no ill-effects.

However, his lack of match fitness prompted the selectors to hold him in reserve and name Pat Mulcahy at left corner-back, with Brian Murphy moving to the other corner.

Timmy McCarthy, who missed the second half of the league because of a hamstring injury, is fit again and beat off the challenge of Neil Ronan for the left half-forward position, while Kieran Murphy of Sarsfields, who caused a scare at the weekend when he sustained a leg injury in a challenge game, also came through a fitness test last night.

He links up with Brian Corcoran and Joe Deane as Cork’s front-runners.

Meanwhile, Waterford’s Allstar Ken McGrath admitted yesterday he is struggling to be fit for Sunday’s clash.

The Mount Sion must decide if he is ready, but he insists: “I should be fit, even if I haven’t much hurling done. But I’ve a lot of physical work under my belt.”

McGrath broke his collar-bone against Kilkenny in the National Hurling League in February.

“I went to give Jimmy Coogan a shoulder, he had the ball coming forward and I just caught him at the wrong angle. I probably caught him too high going up and it just went straight away, I broke my collar-bone in two places.

“Our team doctor, Dr Higgins, came out and knew straight away how bad it was. I thought I was winded at first, but I was in bits when I got up. I went to Waterford Regional Hospital that night and Tadhg O’Sullivan operated on Tuesday, he put two pins into it.

“Since then I’ve done plenty of running, plenty of physical work, but no ball-work. I’ll be rusty - you need to have a hurley in your hand, your touch goes otherwise.”

McGrath doesn’t anticipate being played out of position if he gets the nod.

“If I’m playing I’d say I’ll be played in my preferred position. You could get a belt anywhere on the field. Whether the selectors are going to risk me or not is up to them, I’m really waiting on what they’re going to say.”

Paul Flynn also remains a serious doubt.

Manager Justin McCarthy admitted after last night’s training session in Walsh Park that the fitness of both players was a major concern.

Flynn has been seriously restricted after damaging knee ligaments two weeks ago.

“Last week we felt happier about the situation when we had 12 days to wait for the game.

“But now with only a few days to go to the game we don’t know how we are fixed. We will probably have to wait until Sunday to see if they can play, after we take medical advice”, said McCarthy.

CORK (SHC v Waterford): D. Óg Cusack; B. Murphy, D. O’Sullivan, P. Mulcahy; J. Gardiner, R. Curran, S. Óg Ó hAilpín; J. O’Connor, T. Kenny; B. O’Connor, N. McCarthy, T. McCarthy; K. Murphy (Sarsfields), B. Corcoran, J. Deane.

Subs: P. Morrissey, M. Coleman, C. O’Connor, J. Browne, G. Callinan, W. Sherlock, N. Ronan, E. Collins, J. O’Callaghan, K. Murray, K. Hartnett, R. McGregor, P. Kelly, B. Barry.