Goold expects to make quick return to action

CORK footballer Fintan Goold expects to make a quick return from the injury sustained in Sunday’s Allianz Football League final win over Dublin.

“No, it’s not too serious. It’s just a bit of an Achilles problem. I’m still waiting on a full diagnosis but I wouldn’t think that I’d be out for more than a couple of weeks. I could be under pressure for the opening round of the club championship next weekend but hopefully I’ll be back in time for the Clare game (in the Munster championship).”

The Macroom clubman enjoyed a good league campaign starting in all eight of Cork’s games. Such is the strength of the panel Conor Counihan’s side possesses, an enforced absence can result in a place being lost, but the good of the team is theprimary focus.

“I was lucky to get in and get a run and stay injury-free until the final,” Goold said. “We’ve a lot of strength in depth so you’re always looking over your shoulder because there are other players who can come in and do a job. We saw that in the league final, there aren’t many teams who could cope with losing three players in the first half of a game. There is fullconfidence in anybody who comesonto the team.”

Meanwhile New York officials have refused to be drawn into a war of words with GAA President Christy Cooney who claimed a victory for the Exiles over Roscommon on Sunday would “make a serious mockery” of the Connacht championship.

New York will have to travel to play Sligo or Leitrim with a reduced squad because of immigration issues if they shock the Connacht champions at the weekend

“If they came over with a not very serious team after knocking out Roscommon, it could make a serious mockery of the championship,” said Cooney.

But New York chairman Larry McCarthy declined to respond to the president’s remarks and said they would deal with any issues on Sunday night if they defeat Roscommon.

The exiles came close to shocking Galway last year before Pádraic Joyce rescued the Tribesmen with a lateflurry, and McCarthy hopes they can again give a good account of themselves. But the Cork native said that their preparations have not been helped by a harsh winter and spring which has impacted on the plans of manager, Donegal native Seamus Sweeney, as they gear up for the visit of the Connacht champions.

McCarthy revealed: “We have not had many games. The team has trained hard but have had to do a lot of work indoors as it has been a brutal winter and it has continued into spring. We came very close last year so hopefully we can again rise to it. It is a huge weekend for Irish people in America and the visit of Roscommon and the other Connacht teams is a always a big boost. There will be a dinner dance tonight with 700 or 800 people at it and that would not happen if a team was not coming over each year.”