Midleton full-back Eoin Moloney ruled out of Cork Premier SHC final

Moloney will undergo surgery on his ruptured Achilles this Friday.

Eoin Moloney, Midleton is helped from the pitch after their Co-Op Superstores Premier SHC semi-final at SuperValu Páirc Uí Chaoimh. Picture Dan Linehan

Midleton full-back Eoin Moloney has been ruled out of Sunday week's Cork hurling final and will undergo surgery on his ruptured Achilles this Friday.

Midleton manager Micheál Keohane confirmed on Wednesday evening that the injury sustained by the in-form defender towards the end of last Sunday’s extra-time semi-final win over Blackrock was indeed a season-ending one.

The 25-year-old had been outstanding in the same fixture, as he was when moved out to the half-back line during the come-from-behind quarter-final win over Glen Rovers.

Keohane said Moloney’s form was such that had he not picked up the injury new Cork manager Ben O’Connor would surely have been in touch with an inter-county call-up.

“Eoin is after rupturing his Achilles, so he is gone for Sunday week. He is getting an operation on Friday, so hopefully the recovery is going to be as fast as it can be. It will be February or March before he is back active again,” Keohane explained.

“He has been such a huge part of the panel, such a great guy. He has been a massive leader for us for the last three years. He drives standards all the time.

“Broken-hearted the last day, especially when he is playing so well. You'd imagine he was surely due to be called up with Cork, but these things happen and hopefully he will bounce back from it.”