Tommy Walsh and Conor Corbett rated as 50-50 for Cork footballers' clash with Mayo

Conor Corbett and Tommy Walsh are the players Cork are waiting on for Sunday’s All-Ireland SFC round-robin clash with Mayo at TUS Gaelic Grounds (2pm).

Clyda Rovers attacker Corbett and Kanturk’s Walsh both missed the defeat to Kerry at Páirc Uí Chaoimh a fortnight ago with hamstring injuries but each has a chance of seeing against the Connacht side in Limerick. Unfortunately for Cork, the news is worse for defender Seán Meehan.

The Kiskeam player, an All-Star nominee in 2021, was forced off in the win over Louth with a recurrence of the hamstring problem that dogged him during the Allianz Football League. With an operation necessary, he will not be involved for the remainder of the campaign.

“It’s 50-50 at this stage,” said Cork manager John Cleary with regard to Corbett and Walsh. “Hopefully they’ll be okay. Seán had an operation last week and he is out for the rest of the championship.”

In Cork’s three championship games so far – the defeat to Clare, win over Louth and loss to Kerry – 19 different players have started for Cleary’s side with six more appearing as substitutes.

Despite missing the Clare game, Brian Hurley is Cork’s top scorer with 14 points (11 frees and one mark), one ahead of Steven Sherlock (seven frees and a 45) while Brian O’Driscoll is next with 1-2 and Seán Powter has 0-4.

At the same time as Cork face Mayo, Kerry will be going up against Louth at MW Hire O’Moore Park in Portlaoise.

The winners of each of the four groups will go straight to the All-Ireland quarter-finals, while second-placed teams will have home advantage against third-placed sides in the preliminary quarter-finals. Currently, Mayo top the table with four points from two games while Cork and Kerry have two each and Louth have yet to register.

Wins for Mayo and Kerry – strong favourites in the respective games – would have Kevin McStay’s side top of the table, Jack O’Connor’s second and Cork third with Louth out. If Cork were to win and so Kerry did too, then the top three sides would all have four points, with scoring difference coming into play.

Mickey Harte’s Louth side must beat the Kingdom to have any chance of advancing to the preliminary quarter-final stage. If they were to do that and Cork beat Mayo, the Rebels would top the table with Mayo second, Louth third and Kerry bottom and eliminated on the head-to-head ruling.

Louth and Mayo wins would see Mayo top and Cork, Kerry and Louth tied on two points with second, third and fourth determined by scoring difference.