Relief for Rebels as trio passed fit for Wexford semi-final clash

INJURY fears surrounding Cork's Tom Kenny, Mickey O'Connell and Niall McCarthy for Sunday's Guinness All-Ireland SHC semi-final clash with Wexford at Croke Park have been allayed.

The trio have been passed fit to play and with Diarmuid O'Sullivan fully recovered from a viral infection, the Cork selectors last night named the starting 15 that beat Waterford in the Munster final.

O'Sullivan only lasted a quarter of an hour in the provincial showpiece because of an infection which dramatically reduced his weight levels in the week leading up to that game. His replacement Mark Prendergast played extremely well, but was then laid low with a broken bone in his spine.

O'Connell injured his ankle and was replaced in the second half of the Waterford game by Jerry O'Connor while McCarthy damaged a thumb in that match but played on to the end.

Kenny, player of the month following his stirring performance in the final, injured shoulder ligaments in a club football game. All have responded to treatment, however, and have been given the green light to start. The Cork substitutes panel will be announced later in the week.

Darragh Ryan and Adrian Fenlon are Wexford's main injury doubts ahead of the semi-final. Ryan, who missed the quarter-final victory over Antrim, sustained a broken bone in the back of his right hand during the early stages of their qualifier win against Waterford but played in a highly competitive practice game at Wexford Park on Monday, hurling with just one hand. Fenlon, meanwhile, strained his hamstring in that Nowlan Park success.

"He still has not tried it out in a competitive piece of hurling. It's worrying but we are prepared to wait as long as possible," manager John Conran said of Ryan.

"We'll see over the next few days the progress but we could wait until close to the game before making a decision on his fitness."

The former Allstar full-back who had returned this season following a second cruciate knee ligament injury is confident of starting on Sunday.

"The hand is still a bit sore," Ryan said, "but hopefully over the next few days it will show improvement.

"But I may be in trouble with my hurling for I've had no competitive hurling since the Waterford game. I've still to test the hand but it's not the ideal preparation for such a huge game for the county. We'll just have to wait and see but the selectors will have to be satisfied the hand is one 100%. Then it's a case of whether they believe I've sufficient hurling practice before they pick me."

Conran is also concerned with midfielder cum centre-forward Fenlon who suffered a recurring hamstring injury in the win against Waterford. In Monday's training session he lined out in goal to protect the hamstring.

Conran said "Adrian will be given a fitness test on Friday evening. We'll just have to wait and see and take it from there."

The absence of the experienced duo would be a major blow to Wexford but Conran is still itching at the prospect of meeting Cork.

"It's going to be a huge job but we're capable of doing it. We've prepared well, the players are focused, very keyed up and very clued in for the task that lies ahead.

"Should we get our half-forwards playing well it would be a major boost to us. A lot has been made of the half-forward line but given the character of the players they are capable of giving us the boost we require."

The Wexford team management will not select their side until training this evening.