Cork hurling: Robbie O'Flynn to miss next three league games

Cork attacker Robbie O’Flynn could feature again in the Allianz Hurling League if the Rebels have another match after their five regular games.

The Erin’s Own star was forced off in the defeat to Kilkenny last Sunday week with a hamstring injury. Having been sidelined for a number of months after suffering a similar problem in the Munster SHC game against Tipperary, there were fears that he would again be out for an extended period.

However, Cork manager Pat Ryan has provided an update on O’Flynn and, while he will miss Sunday’s clash with Waterford and the trips to Offaly and Wexford, he is not likely to be out for any longer.

If Cork were to finish in the two top in Division 1 Group A – which would involved winning their remaining three games – they would qualify for the semi-finals while a fourth-place finish in the six-team section would necessitate a play-off with their Group B counterparts for a place in Division 1 of next year’s revamped competition.

“Robbie is probably four or five weeks,” Ryan said, “I wouldn’t think he’d be back before the Wexford game.

“It’s not something that we didn’t expect. With the operation that he had, it’s almost standard practice that you’ll get some sort of re-occurrence.

“It’s not serious – it’s on the lower-scale end of things but all hamstring injuries are pretty much four weeks.

“That’s where we’re at and we’ll give him every chance to come back right.

“I suppose it was a worry for himself that it might have been serious – you always fear the worst with these things but thankfully it’s straightforward enough.”

Cormac O’Brien, Brian Hayes and Ciarán Joyce all started Cork’s opening game away to Clare but were rested for the Kilkenny match so as not to overload them after playing in the Fitzgibbon Cup.

All three are back in contention for Sunday. While Darragh Fitzgibbon has a shoulder injury, he is not far away, either.

“Darragh is still out but he’s not too far away,” Ryan said, “we’d expect him back for Offaly.

“Ben Cunningham is still out as well, Micheál Mullins is out and obviously Robbie as well.

“There’s nothing that’s really long-term, we’d expect most of them back in contention for the Offaly game.”

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