Banner boosted by return of Quinn
The stylish defender broke his nose in training and missed the last game against Waterford. Team captain Brian O’Connell, back from an overseas trip, has returned to the practice ground and could be in the reckoning.
Lar Corbett could make a return to the Tipp side after missing the opening two games because of a hamstring injury. But Eoin Kelly, back in light training after a back injury, is certain to miss out again.
Waterford manager Davy Fitzgerald will delay a decision on whether to retain regular defender Ken McGrath in attack for Sunday’s clash with Kilkenny at Nowlan Park.
Centre-back McGrath, just back from a knee operation, was a revelation at centre-forward in the last-round fixture against Clare, bagging four points — all from play — in the 0-20 to 0-13 win over Fitzgerald’s native county.
With McGrath missing the opening round loss to Tipperary, the Waterford boss re-sited regular midfielder Michael ‘Brick’ Walsh to the No 6 position for the joust with Liam Sheedy’s charges.
And Fitzgerald retained the Stradbally man at centre-back for the fixture against the Banner County.
“Ken’s experience is unreal, and he did a very good job at centre-forward for us,” remarked Fitzgerald.
McGrath was taken off just before the end, but Fitzgerald said it was purely precautionary.
Understandably, Fitzgerald was pleased with his side’s performance in the last round. “Despite losing to Tipperary, we went into the Clare match happy enough, as we finished very strongly against Tipp.”
But he added: “Clare were missing a good few players, so we can’t read too much into the performance.”
Cork, who host Galway at Páirc Uí Chaoimh on Sunday, could have Ballygarvan’s Stephen White back in the fold. The former minor played centre-back in the St Colman’s cententary game but has been out of action since.
Galway will again be without ace goalkeeper James Skehill, who sustained a shoulder injury playing for Limerick IT in a challenge game against Dublin on January 6, and missed Cappataggle’s All-Ireland Club Intermediate final defeat by Cork’s Blarney 10 days ago.
The injury has also ruled him out of Limerick IT’s involvement in the Fitzgibbon Cup.
But Skehill, who celebrated his 21st birthday last Sunday, is optimistic of being available for the game against Waterford on March 29.
“For the last three weeks, I’ve been working out in the gym — on the exercise bike, the treadmill and the rowing machine,” pointed out Skehill.
“Within the next week or so, I hope to be able start training on the field, and then two weeks later I should be able to move on to full contact work and to take part in match situations.”
Galway will also be without full back Damien McClearn and utility forward Mark Kearns, both of whom were sent off in the Tribesmen’s last game against Dublin and are suspended.
However, Ger Farragher could be fit to play. The towering full-forward has had a recurrence of an old back injury which forced him to miss last weekend’s Railway Cup semi-final.
And, talking of the Railway Cup Munster hurling manager Len Gaynor has called for a new drive to save the inter-provincial championships.
Gaynor, winner of three Railway Cups at a time when the hurling and football finals regularly filled Croke Park on St Patrick’s Day, said it is not too late to salvage the competitions.
A crowd of just 447 came through the turnstiles at Pearse Stadium in Salthill on Saturday to see Gaynor’s Munster blow a seven-point lead in the final quarter as a Niall Healy goal secured Connacht a place in the Abu Dhabi final against Leinster next month.
“The players want the competition, the managers and selectors want it and so too does a dedicated sponsor in Martin Donnelly,” said Gaynor.
“All we are missing are supporters and that has to be the focus. How do we get the crowds back supporting this competition? That is where the effort needs to be put,” he said.
Gaynor said that bringing the final to Abu Dhabi was a good reward for the teams, but he felt that a concerted effort is required to get the crowds back.
“It is never too late, but it will be a lot more difficult to revive them if we let the competitions go,” he added.
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