Rebels upbeat on Lynch

THE Cork football management are confident defensive stalwart Anthony Lynch will be available for selection for Sunday week’s All-Ireland SFC semi-final against Tyrone.

Lynch missed the Munster final win over Limerick and the All-Ireland quarter-final success against Donegal with a groin injury, but is expected to resume full training this week.

“Anthony was back training last week but due to all the players absent with club games, we haven’t done much full training since the Donegal game,” revealed Cork selector Ger O’Sullivan.

“We’d be very confident that Anthony will be back full training this week now. The injury took longer to heal than expected, but he knows how to look after it. We’d be optimistic now that he can come into the frame for the Tyrone match.”

The remainder of the Cork panel emerged unscathed from a hectic weekend of local club activity and will now have two full weeks of training in the run up to the crunch clash with Tyrone on August 23rd.

Meanwhile there is still uncertainty over whether Kerry attacker Kieran Donaghy will feature in their All-Ireland semi-final battle with Meath on August 30th.

“Hopefully, Kieran will be available for the match against Meath, but we won’t know his situation until a good deal closer to the match,” explained Kerry selector Ger O’Keeffe.

“The biggest problem with an injury of this type is that a player takes a good bit of time to recover from it. The medical people don’t know for sure how long it will take but they feel it could be six to eight weeks.”

Meanwhile Tipperary boss Liam Sheedy has no major injury worries regarding his regular starting 15 for next Sunday’s All-Ireland SHC semi-final against Limerick in Croke Park.

Attackers Eoin Kelly and John O’Brien shook off hand and back injuries respectively to take a full part in training on Sunday, while defender Shane Maher, who has been sidelined with a hamstring injury, has also regained full fitness. Benny Dunne has also shaken off a hamstring injury but it is understood he is likely to fill the role of impact sub once again. Elsewhere defensive prospect Michael Cahill, who has been dogged with hamstring and groin problems this season, has resumed full training, but attacking panellist Dara Egan could be out of contention after suffering a hand injury in training last weekend.