Downes an injury doubt for Limerick U21s

Limerick sharpshooter Kevin Downes is a major doubt for his side's All-Ireland Under-21 HC semi-final against Galway at Semple Stadium on Saturday.

He suffered a hand injury whilst playing for his club Na Piarsaigh, just days after the Shannonsiders' epic Munster U-21 final win over Cork.

But Downes is holding out hope that he can play some part in this weekend's clash in Thurles.

"I went to see the specialist on Monday and it is going to come down to the last minute (whether I am available)," he said.

"I am just trying to recover as much as I can at the minute and go to the physio.

"We have a strong panel anyway and we are confident of whoever takes the pitch. It's just a jersey really - we are confident in the panel and that is the main thing really."

Wing back Cathal McNamara is definitely ruled out of the game after tearing the A/C joint in his shoulder during training with club side Doon last weekend.

Limerick edged out Cork after extra-time in a provincial decider which was heralded as one of the best hurling games seen at any level this year.

Downes was proud of his side's display in such a titanic encounter, saying: "Going into extra-time it took a lot out of the players, but winning a game like that brings you on a lot and brings the team together.

"Winning is a habit and winning a really tough game like that, it would have been a horrible one to lose.

"Thankfully we won it and hopefully that will stand to us come the rest of the Championship."

This will be Galway's first match in this year's Under-21 Championship. Although they will be coming into the semi-final raw, Downes says that Limerick are not totally blind to the challenge the Tribesmen will pose.

"It is hard to know what to expect from Galway, but I would know a lot of their players and they are very good players," he explained.

"We know how good a team we are coming up against and we won't have any false impressions of Galway.

"They are a top-class team and they have been playing a lot of challenge games. We played them twice and I am sure they will have a lot of work done and they won't be caught out that way."

Downes says that it is 'vitally important' for Limerick hurling that the U-21s build on their Munster title success and reach the All-Ireland final.

"You try and treat it like any other game, but we are going to be 100% focused.

"The management got us focused again after the Munster final. It was important to put that to the back of our minds and get focused again, because there is a chance there for an All-Ireland title if we can keep on winning."