Freedom doesn’t come naturally for injured Rebel Joyce

Far from viewing himself as an indentured slave, the commitment demanded at inter-county level wasn’t brought home to Christopher Joyce until the Cork hurler was forced onto the sideline.

An innocuous fall 20 minutes into last month’s league tie against Dublin materialised itself into a season-ending cruciate ligament injury.

From laying claim to the Cork number three shirt to evenings spent sprawled across the couch, such freedom was Joyce unaccustomed to.