Brian Hayes 'worried' season was over after suffering injury during Cork's league campaign

The in-form attacker looked in bother when he hit the turf with nobody around him during Cork's final round league win over Galway and was taken off.

PwC GAA/GPA Player of the Month for April in hurling, Brian Hayes of Cork, with his award outside the PwC offices in Cork. Pic: David Fitzgerald/Sportsfile.

Brian Hayes has acknowledged there were concerns initially when he crumpled in agony with a knee injury late in Cork's league campaign.

The in-form attacker, who has started all nine of Cork's competitive games this year, looked in bother when he hit the turf with nobody around him during Cork's final round league win over Galway and was taken off.

After cruciate concerns were allayed, the goal-poacher was ruled out for the league final though even made it back for that game as Cork secured a rare title win.

He has since returned 2-2 and 0-2 tallies in Cork's Munster championship encounters with Clare and Tipperary and is the PwC GAA/GPA Hurler of the Month for April.

No doubt Hayes will be a marked man on Sunday when Cork travel to face Limerick.

"Initially I would have been worried, whenever you get a bit of a scare like that you're going to be worried," said the St Finbarrs man.

"If you were to be injured for a period of time, you would have to nearly rule out your season. Thankfully it wasn't too bad. The physios and performance team around the place were very good, so it wasn't too bad in the end, thank God.

"When it happened, the league final didn't really come into question, it was just about getting back for the Munster championship, if I could.

"You were going off symptoms and just taking things day by day and we put in great work with the physios as well. Once you were able to push on and see if the pain wasn't too bad, that you were able to carry on, it wasn't too bad. Thankfully we were able to get back straight away."

PwC GAA/GPA Player of the Month for April Cork hurler Brian Hayes, Meath footballer Mathew Costello, left, and PwC GPA Women Players of the Month for April, Kerry ladies footballer Síofra O’Shea, right, and Offaly camogie player Mairéad Teehan with their awards at PwC offices in Cork today. Photo by David Fitzgerald/Sportsfile

Hayes has emerged as a central player for Cork in just his third full senior season. The former county footballer enjoyed a breakthrough 2024 season when he was nominated for an All-Star.

"Over the last couple of years, obviously you're trying to build towards that," said Hayes of his regular starter status.

"For this year, when we went back, that would have been one of the things you'd be targeting, just keeping fit and hoping to play every game and to play a part as much as you can."

Cork would prefer to be returning to SuperValu Pairc Ui Chaoimh this weekend. Since beating Limerick there in last year's round robin, they haven't lost there and have won a league final there. It's a genuine fortress for Pat Ryan's crew now.

"I didn't really know that stat, to be honest," said Hayes. "But we've always said it that we want to make Pairc Ui Chaoimh a bit of a fortress.

"We're just focusing on going to Limerick now. Like any other game in Munster, it's going to be a huge test. It's going to be a huge test of us as a playing group.

"They're still the top team around the place. We'll be looking forward to trying to bring ourselves up to that level on Sunday."

Cork, Limerick and Tipperary are currently joint top of the Munster round robin though Tipp have an extra game played.

So whoever wins in Limerick on Sunday will have one foot in the Munster final.

"It you're walking around the place, it's hard to avoid at times," said Hayes of the expectation and buzz around Cork hurling at the moment.

"It's just about having your own week's structure set up where you can focus on your training and you can meet the team and whatever.

"You're just boxing that off and then everything else will look after itself I suppose."