Injury concerns for Cork duo

Tom Kenny and Niall McCarthy have emerged as injury doubts for Cork's All-Ireland SHC qualifier campaign which begins on Saturday week against Dublin.

The pair sustained their injuries during the Rebels' Munster SHC semi-final loss to Waterford last weekend. Midfielder Kenny has a torn hamstring which is still to be assessed by the Cork medical staff.

McCarthy, who scored two points from centre-forward against the Deise, damaged his ankle in Thurles. He had it X-rayed on Sunday. However, it is unclear how long the Carrigtwohill clubman will be sidelined for.

Gerald McCarthy's Cork side open the qualifiers with a June 30 trip to Parnell Park to face Dublin, before they clash with Offaly (July 7) and the losers of the Limerick-Tipperary replay (July 14).

Looking ahead to the qualifiers and the Dublin game in particular, Cork selector Martin Bowen said: "We'll take it one game at a time and be positive. With the injuries we now have, it's going to stretch our resources to the very limit.

"We all know Dublin hurling is on the rise and with two home games, they will see it as an opportunity to make it to the knockout stages. We'll get nothing soft in Parnell Park."