Eoin Downey will be a loss for senior hurlers but U20s set to benefit

THE Cork hurlers might not have been involved in the league final this weekend after a disappointing loss to Kilkenny but it allowed them focus completely on their championship preparations.

Pat Ryan's side host Waterford on Sunday, April 30 before Tipperary arrive in Páirc Uí Chaoimh six days later. Those two ties will dictate the Rebels' summer as they're on the road against Clare and Limerick after that as they attempt to finish in the top three in the provincial round-robin and avoid early elimination. 

Injuries have been a huge issue so far this season with Darragh Fitzgibbon, Mark Coleman and Alan Connolly missing all the league and only Fitzgibbon in the mix to return for the Munster series while Seamus Harnedy and Tim O'Mahony were also sidelined for the majority of the spring. Captain Seán O'Donoghue limped off in the first game against Limerick and his dead leg has developed into a major issue that still hasn't healed fully.

Robbie O'Flynn was stretchered off that night too but the flying wing-forward, Cork's most consistent forward in 2022, has since returned to training.

Another blow is that rookie full-back Eoin Downey had his one-match suspension due to the red card he received in Nowlan Park, upheld by the Central Hearings Committee.

The CHC agreed with the decision of referee John Keenan that Downey was in breach of Rule 7.2 (b), Category III, “striking with a hurley, with minimal force”. Barring a successful trip to the Central Appeals Committee, the Glen Rovers club man won't be available against the Déise at the end of the month.

LEADER

Downey, whose older brother Rob looked sharp at wing-back in the Kilkenny loss after his own injury problems, has been immense for the U20 hurlers since the league concluded. 

Ben O'Connor's side took a while to get motoring in wins over Waterford and Tipp in the Páirc but Downey was the anchor in defence. 

Senior panellists Ben Cunningham and Colin Walsh have delivered some key scores for the U20s, whose next outing is against Clare in Sixmilebridge on Wednesday week. They're in Limerick on Friday, April 28.

The top team in the Munster U20 round-robin goes straight to the final on Monday, May 15. A semi-final, between the counties in second and third is the week before.

While U20s are permitted to play both senior and in the underage grade, they can't line out twice within seven days.