Injury crisis for Cork

Cork hurlers have a major injury crisis in advance of next Sunday’s league encounter with Down at Páirc Uí Rinn.

Eleven players are on the list and the likelihood is that none will feature against the Northerners.

Brian Murphy is likely to be ruled out with a hamstring problem while John Gardiner suffered a dead leg in Sunday’s challenge outing with Kilkenny.

Wayne Sherlock has a groin strain while Ronan Curran has a dead leg which forced him to cry off just before the start of that game.

Seán Óg Ó hAilpín is nearing full fitness after his own hamstring worries but it’s thought he won’t re-appear until the trip to Wexford Park on March 26.

Mickey O’Connell is a longer term absentee with damaged shoulder ligaments while Ciaran McGann is still unavailable with a fractured finger.

Kevin Hartnett has also a fractured finger, sustained in UCC’s defeat by UCD in the Fitzgibbon Cup while Fergal McCormack, dramatically recalled to the squad for the game against Kilkenny, is another hamstring victim.

And compounding the misery is the fact promising defender Dara McSweeney has a back problem.

So not a rosy picture for the visit of the Mourne County. However, it’s likely Diarmuid O’Sullivan and Brian Corcoran will both feature from the start in a game which Cork are expected to bag the points.

In terms of qualification for the knockout stages the picture should be much clearer after next weekend’s series of games.

Aside from Cork and Down, Waterford play Clare while Offaly tackle Wexford.

Waterford lead the table with four points, followed by Offaly on three, Clare and Wexford on two each with Cork and Down propping up the table with one apiece.

The top three go through to the knockout stages.