Cork's Corbett back in training but Kerry clash will come too soon

The forward suffered a second cruciate ligament rupture when playing with Chicago club, John McBride’s, last summer.

BACK IN SWING: Conor Corbett of Cork leaves the pitch after his side's defeat in the Munster GAA Football Senior Championship semi-final match between Kerry and Cork at Fitzgerald Stadium in Killarney, Kerry. Photo by Brendan Moran/Sportsfile

Cork footballer Conor Corbett this week returned to training, albeit his return to competitive fare won't be against Kerry in next weekend's Munster semi-final.

The Cork forward suffered a second cruciate ligament rupture when playing with Chicago club, John McBride’s, last summer.

Corbett featured in all six of Cork’s championship outings in 2024, starting the first three against Limerick, Kerry, and Clare, and then coming off the bench in the All-Ireland series against Donegal, Tyrone, and Louth. The Clyda Rovers clubman was on the mark against Kerry in the Munster semi-final and Sam Maguire opener away to Clare.

“Conor has started training this week, but that is started, like,” manager John Cleary said at a media briefing ahead of Saturday week’s Munster semi-final at home to Kerry.

Cork came away from their Munster quarter-final victory over Limerick last weekend with no fresh injury concerns. That game marked a return to action for Maurice Shanley and Seán Powter, while Tommy Walsh was back in the matchday panel for the first time since Round 5 of the League.

Half-back Luke Fahy, who returned to the matchday panel for the Round 6 and 7 League wins over Louth and Cavan respectively, albeit saw no minutes in either, recently incurred a minor hamstring setback to the initial injury that had kept him sidelined since the start of the year. Cleary expects the 2024 first teamer to be back in training the week after the Kerry game.

“The only one that is not fully training at the moment is Luke Fahy.”