Injury shadow-boxing doesn’t alter Kildare’s favourite tag

RARELY has a week been so dominated by talk of injuries. All eyes were on Nowlan Park last Wednesday for Henry Shefflin’s resurrection, and breath will be bated yet again in Croke Park tomorrow in the minutes before 3.30pm.

Kieran McGeeney has named Dermot Earley in his starting 15 for this semi-final but such announcements are frequently made for cosmetic purposes only and no-one will believe anything until Pat McEnaney gets things underway.

Ambrose Rogers’ situation has been equally impenetrable and much the same wait-and-see approach is being maintained with the star named amongst the Down subs for tomorrow’s clash.