Shane Kingston to miss Cork's Munster SHC opener against Waterford

Cork attacker Shane Kingston will miss the Munster SHC opener against Waterford on Sunday, April 21 after sustaining a pulled hamstring.

The Douglas player started the Rebels’ opening two Allianz HL Division 1 Group A games and came off the bench in the other three, scoring eight points in total, but he will be absent for the trip to Walsh Park.

Kingston, speaking at the launch of eir's sponsorship of the All-Ireland SHC, is hoping to be back for Cork’s second game, at home to Clare on Sunday, but that comes just a week later and may prove too soon.

“From my own perspective, I pulled my hamstring the first session after the league, the same as last year,” he says.

“I was just nearly back and I had a reoccurring injury in it only on Thursday night. It’s disappointing, obviously, but things amongst the group at training have been going well – a couple of challenge games, a couple of internal games, getting players back.

“Hopefully, I might get back for Clare but it’s a quick enough turnaround.

“I’ll have to be a bit more cautious, seeing as I did it again.”

 In 2023, Kingston also injured his hamstring between league and championship and was unable to start in the opener at home to Waterford.

“I ended up coming on for the last ten minutes and maybe I shouldn’t have!” he laughs.

“I don’t know how right it was, but this year it’s a write-off.”

Given the depth available to Cork, though, Kingston accepts that his injury will allow somebody else the chance to shine and that that can only benefit the team.

“The competition for the team, and even for the panel, is huge,” he says.

“I suppose you could look at it as being an opportunity for somebody else, whether it be on the team or the panel.

“As hurling is progressing, you’re seeing more and more that it’s about the depth of the panel and getting that extra boost from the bench. It’s great that we’ve experimented this year with so many different fellas and we probably did similar last year as well.

“That’s obviously a great thing, it brings huge competition both to the team and the panel for championship .”

“I just have to focus on myself now over the next couple of weeks and try to get myself back for championship, whether that is Clare or Limerick. I’ll have to see how it goes.”