Conor Lehane ruled out of county final with Achilles injury

Midleton hurler Conor Lehane has been ruled out of next week’s Co-Op Superstores Cork Premier Senior Hurling Championship final against Sarsfields after sustaining a partial Achilles tear.

The injury is expected to keep the Cork senior forward sidelined for a number of months.

It comes as another setback for Midleton, following confirmation that full-back Eoin Moloney will also miss the final due to an Achilles rupture that will require surgery.

Lehane scored 0-12, including the winning free in extra-time in their semi-final victory over Blackrock, bringing his championship total to 0-48 (0-30 f, 0-3 65).

The 33-year-old’s absence will be felt. The Cork senior top scored from play during both of the Magpies’ previous two county final triumphs, scoring 0-13 (0-8 f) in their win over Glen Rovers in 2021, and a remarkable 2-10 (0-2 f, 0-1 65) of Midleton’s 2-15 when they pipped Sars to the county in 2013.

Lehane etched his name into club history with that performance to dethrone the reigning champions, earning Midleton a first senior county title since 1991.

Now, as Midleton chase another title, they must do so without two pillars of their spine.

Sarsfields may not be the reigning county champions, but as current Munster club title holders and this season’s standard-setters, the challenge before Midleton has rarely looked steeper.