Fennellys major doubts as injury woes pile up for Cody’s Cats

Kilkenny are facing an injury crisis ahead of Sunday’s Leinster senior hurling final with Galway at Croke Park.

Five of the side which began last month’s semi-final win over Dublin, as well as Hurler of the Year Michael Fennelly – who missed that game – are all doubts.

Cats selector Martin Fogarty outlined the extent of the damage, which resulted in a number of absentees from training last Sunday.

“Neither of the Fennellys trained, and Eoin Larkin, Jackie Tyrrell, Tommy Walsh and Paul Murphy all missed it too,” he said. “Michael Fennelly would have to be our most serious doubt, and we’d be fairly worried about Colin Fennelly, Tommy and Jackie not making it too. Eoin and Paul we’d be hopeful about.

“If there was another week they’d be fine, but time is not on their side.”

Conal Keaney, who had to be taken off in the first half of Dublin’s loss to Kilkenny, remains their biggest doubt ahead of the All-Ireland qualifier against Clare in Cusack Park. Joey Boland, however, is fit to start.

Clare’s Enda Barrett has a hamstring injury, which forced him to miss a county championship game with Newmarket-on-Fergus, and will have a fitness test later in the week. More encouraging for Davy Fitzgerald is that Darach Honan and Seán Collins, who did not start in the loss to Waterford, have returned to near-full fitness.

Niall McCarthy is back in the frame for Cork as they face Offaly in the other game at Páirc Uí Chaoimh on Saturday, though Eoin Cadogan will miss out after opting to play in the Munster football final the following day. Na Piarsaigh trio John Gardiner, Seán Óg Ó hAilpín and Christopher Joyce are likely to be in the mix to replace Cadogan. The Faithful County have a full squad to pick from.

Cadogan’s decision means Cork footballers are likely to have everybody available for the clash with Clare as Fintan Goold and Pearse O’Neill, late withdrawals from the semi-final against Kerry, are back in contention.

Clare have two main worries. Rory Donnelly, who kicked three points against Limerick and five in last year’s loss to Cork, has a leg muscle injury while Graham Kelly has the cast off after breaking a bone in his hand but has not yet been involved in contact training.