Cadogan almost certain to miss Waterford clash

Eoin Cadogan is unlikely to be fit for Cork’s Munster SHC opener against Waterford on May 25.

Dual star Cadogan has not played since sustaining a hamstring injury in the Cork footballers’ loss to Mayo and missed his club Douglas’s county SFC win over Newcestown at the weekend.

With time ticking down to the clash with the Déise in Thurles, Cork selector Johnny Crowley believes the odds are against Cadogan making what would be his first hurling championship start for Cork since the 2012 All-Ireland semi-final loss to Galway.

“At this stage, you’d have to say that he’s a grave doubt,” he said.

“He has a hamstring problem and he has had it for the past while, he’s still only in the rehab stage and we’re three weeks out from the game so he probably won’t be in the equation.

“He’s down with us every night but he’s only working with the physio Deccie O’Sullivan and we’re not even sure when he’ll be back training fully.

“You’d hope that he might be fit enough to be in the panel, but as now it’s not certain at all.”

Aside from Cadogan, Luke O’Farrell, who has been suffering with a shoulder injury, will also be absent, but otherwise Crowley is confident of having a full panel to choose from.

“Luke is definitely out, and we’ve known that for a good while,” he said.

“Aidan Walsh should be fine, he trained with us this week and he’ll probably play with Kanturk in their replay against Glanworth. Otherwise, everybody else should be available to us.”

Cork finish their preparations for the Waterford game with a behind-closed-doors clash with Dublin in Limerick on Sunday.