Cork's Seámus Harnedy in race against time to be fit for All-Ireland final

Cork manager Pat Ryan said Cormac O'Brien, who missed the semi-final against Dublin, should be fit to face Tipperary in the All-Ireland final. 

A hamstring injury ruled Seámus Harnedy out of the All-Ireland semi-final against Dublin. Pic: ©INPHO/Bryan Keane

Seámus Harnedy is “touch and go” for All-Ireland final involvement on Sunday week, Cork manager Pat Ryan has revealed.

Harnedy missed the semi-final victory over Dublin because of a hamstring injury, with Ryan commenting at Monday’s press evening that the All-Star half-forward “might” return to training next Tuesday, just five days out from the decider.

Munster final starter Cormac O’Brien, who was also marked absent from the All-Ireland semi-final because of a recurring quad injury, will be available for Sunday week’s clash against Tipp.

“No, everyone was good from Saturday. Obviously, Séamus Harnedy and Cormac O'Brien weren't eligible. I think Cormac will be perfect, to be honest. He should be back in fully on Wednesday night. Séamus will be touch and go. Hopefully he might be back in next Tuesday. We'll see how it goes,” said Ryan.

“Everyone is missing players but obviously missing Séamus is a huge blow to our team. It's a huge blow to himself firstly. But we'd be confident that he'll hopefully be able to take some part in it. Our medical staff are working hard on it and Séamus is working hard himself. He's putting every day into it and there's a lot of recovery needed for that.

“If he's not right, we'll go with what we have. We have great confidence in the lads we have.” 

Reflecting on Sunday’s Tipp-Kilkenny last-four clash, the Cork manager said “it was a pity” controversy had crept into the endgame, but, the incorrect scoreline aside, still felt the better team prevailed. The Premier’s goal threat is becoming as pronounced as Cork’s, Sunday’s four green flags bringing their championship total across seven games to 15.

“To be honest, I didn't even notice it myself when I was watching the game,” Ryan said of Noel McGrath’s late wide being counted as a Tipp point on the stadium scoreboard and RTÉ television score graphic.

“My idea was that it was three points Kilkenny were down. It's amazing really with all that's going on with technology that something like that can happen. I heard some kind of comment along the lines that the Kilkenny management should have known or been able to get a communication on. Unfortunately, with the way things are now, even if they did know, you can't get the communication on. That's the problem. It's disappointing.

“Tipperary showed great heart and determination to come back after Kilkenny stretched ahead of them [in the first-half]. They got a couple of great goals. Four goals is huge scoring against Kilkenny.

“Look, I think the best team on the day won. That's normally what happens. If there was a point in it, you'd say something. At the end of the day, Tipperary won by whatever they won by. Was it three points in the end or two points? That's for the GAA to sort out. We'll just concentrate on the final.”