Tompkins: Shefflin had no chance

CORK football legend Larry Tompkins believes it was impossible for Henry Shefflin to feature at inter-county level so soon after suffering a cruciate ligament injury in last month’s All-Ireland semi-final against Cork.

Tompkins tore the cruciate ligament in both his knees during his inter-county career, but after playing through the pain barrier himself in the 1990 All-Ireland final, he can understand why Kilkenny wereprepared to gamble on Shefflin’s fitness in last Sunday’s All-Ireland decider.

“If you have any damage in your cruciate ligament it is impossible to try and play at this level. You might survive at club level with your experience carrying you through slower proceedings but when you are playing in an All-Ireland final you have to be 100%. You can try and build it up through training and survive itrunning in straight lines. I remember the times I went to England for rehabilitation after my surgery and met Alan Shearer who had a similar problem at the time.