Hurling: Carroll faces fitness race

Tipperary hurler John Carroll faces a race against time to be fit for the Munster senior hurling championship clash with Clare in Pairc Uí Chaoimh on May 19.

The former Allstar fractured a bone in his knee in last Sunday's Allianz National Hurling League semi-final against Cork and is rated extremely doubtful for the encounter.

Carroll, a former Allstar wing back, was sent up-field to the Tipperary attack during the course of last year's All-Ireland campaign to add strength and bulk to a lightweight forward division.

Should he not make the championship first round, his loss against Clare would be severely felt.

Tipperary also have injuries to Eddie Enright and John O'Brien, both of whom are almost certain to miss the Clare game, and to Paul Ormonde, Mark O'Leary and Thomas Costelloe - although the latter three are not as serious.