Blow for Cork hurlers as Ciarán Joyce ruled out for rest of season

The Cork hurling team have suffered a major blow with the news that Ciarán Joyce has sustained an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury which will rule him out for the remainder of the season.

In addition, fellow defender Robert Downey has suffered ankle-ligament damage that will keep him sidelined for six weeks.

Joyce was forced off in the fifth minute of Sunday’s Munster SHC win over Limerick at SuperValu Páirc Uí Chaoimh and a scan on Monday morning confirmed the worst fears for the Castlemartyr man.

Having operated in the half-back line for almost the entirety of his senior inter-county career, Joyce had been chosen at full-back for the Allianz Hurling League final loss to Limerick at the beginning of April and retained that role for the win over Tipperary in Cork’s provincial championship opener and the victory over Limerick.

Downey was substituted deep into injury time on Sunday as Cork held on to a two-point lead. He was also assessed on Monday morning and, while the prognosis is not as grave as Joyce’s, the Glen Rovers man will still be out for more than a month.

Having won their first two round-robin games – the first time since that system was introduced in 2018 – Cork now have a break before the trip to face Waterford at Azzurri Walsh Park on Saturday, May 9 before rounding off their regular schedule with a home game against Clare on Sunday, May 24.

If Ben O’Connor’s side were to reach the Munster final on Sunday, June 7 then Downey would be in a race against time to be available for that game.

Damien Cahalane replaced Joyce on Sunday while Ger Millerick was the late sub for Downey. Cormac O’Brien was also a substitute against Limerick while Micheál Mullins started the league final in the half-back line.

Eoin Roche saw game-time during the league at corner-back and Dáire O’Leary was full-back for the first five matches before an ankle injury put him out of contention but the Watergrasshill man is now fit again.