Conor Corbett closing in on a return for Cork as John Cleary issues positive squad update 

Cork manager John Cleary is pleased that the Rebels have more or less no fresh injury concerns ahead of his side’s clash with Offaly this weekend.

The two teams meet on Sunday in the Allianz Division 2 Football League at Glenisk O’Connor Park in Tullamore with throw-in at 2pm.

The home side are without any points after their two games while it’s the opposite for Cork after victories over Cavan and Louth.

Cleary has confirmed that midfielder Seán Walsh picked up a knock in the five-point triumph over Louth last Sunday week. 

Forward Conor Corbett isn't too far away after picking up a shoulder injury before Christmas. 

“Seán Walsh picked up a bit of a knock the last day, we will assess him now as the week goes on,” the Castlehaven clubman said to The Echo on Tuesday afternoon.

“Conor Corbett is just back in training. We will be assessing him and it’s a case of seeing how the week goes.

“We have a very good medical department and we take their advice on all players coming back from injury. Conor has been very unfortunate with injuries, but hopefully now he has put them behind him and he can go on an injury-free run.

“Also, we have a number on the panel involved in the Sigerson Cup final tomorrow night, so we will see how they come through that.

“Other than that, we have no fresh injury concerns.” 

The depth of the Cork panel will be tested over the next three weekends with three games before a two-week break.

“Three weeks on the trot this time of the year is fairly taxing on everyone,” Cleary says.

“We are not too badly off now in terms of injuries, but that can change very quickly. That’s where the squad comes in. As we know from the past, you can go out training for a week and lads can pick up a knock or pull a muscle.

“Injuries can happen very easily. The games are 70 minutes and this time of the year is challenging on bodies particularly week after week. Hopefully, touch wood, that we can avoid a repeat of the injuries we had last year.” 

Injuries have been a concern for Cork in recent years, but so far in this campaign, there hasn’t been many players on the treatment table for a lengthy period of time, so have the Rebels changed anything this season?

“Not really. It has taken a bit of time for lads to get more robust. It’s so important to have a proper pre-season and sometimes that’s not possible for guys who go deep into the club campaign.

“I don’t think there’s anything that we have changed. It can be a bit of luck and it does happen to teams at some stage where they run into a glut of injuries.

“We are lucky at the moment that we aren’t in that situation.” Cleary concluded.