Cork manager optimistic midfield duo will be fit to face Galway

Tommy O'Connell and Tim O'Mahony both missed the quarter-final victory over Offaly. 

Tim O'Mahony was ruled out of the All-Ireland SFC quarter-final victory over Offaly with a dead leg. Pic: Ramsey Cardy/Sportsfile

Cork hurling manager Ben O’Connor is optimistic that midfielders Tommy O’Connell and Tim O’Mahony will be fit enough to be considered for Saturday’s All-Ireland SHC semi-final against Galway.

The pair missed the quarter-final victory over Offaly last Sunday week, O’Connell having sustained a broken thumb in the Munster final loss to Limerick while O’Mahony was ruled out with a dead leg.

However, both recoveries have gone well enough to give them a chance of making the Croke Park fixture, which has a 3.30pm throw-in, while Mark Coleman and Robert Downey, who had minor groin and ankle issues in the wake of the Offaly match, are fit and available too.

“Tim and Tommy both did a bit at the weekend,” O’Connor said.

“We have a game at training tonight [Monday] and if the two of them can play in that, they’re in contention for the weekend.

“They were involved in non-contact work on Friday, they did a bit of hurling, so it’s about seeing how they come through the training game.

“Tommy hasn’t played since the Munster final, he came off late on in that, so that’s the only issue with him if he gets over tonight. Tim was able to do a bit of running and a bit of pucking last week, he hasn’t been out as long.

“Other than that – touch wood – we’ve everybody bar Joycey. We seem to be getting on top of the injuries and everybody has been working hard, so hopefully we’ll have close to a full squad.” 

The game will be preceded by the Glen Dimplex All-Ireland Senior Camogie Championship quarter-final between Kilkenny and Waterford while Sunday’s Clare-Limerick semi-final will have the camogie game between Clare and Tipperary as its curtain-raiser.