Darragh Fitzgibbon's absence from Munster final confirmed

Cork hurling manager Ben O’Connor has confirmed that captain Darragh Fitzgibbon will miss Sunday week’s Munster SHC final against Limerick.

The Charleville man missed the Rebels’ win over Clare last Sunday after suffering from appendicitis the previous weekend. The initial expectation was that the three-time All-Star would be ruled out until the All-Ireland series and O’Connor confirmed at Monday night’s press event for the decider that Fitzgibbon remains on the absentee list, while Robbie O’Flynn is likely to remain sidelined with a hamstring issue.

“Darragh is not going to feature,” he said.

“We're into the second week now and he hasn't been on the field. We're not going to risk Darragh.
“Robbie will be another couple of weeks, we think. He hasn't tried it out yet. He's hoping to maybe do a bit at the weekend but it's a chance to take.

“If he comes back too early and hurts it, that could be his season over.”

Arising out of Sunday’s win to secure a place in a second successive provincial final, Cork have minor concerns around Niall O’Leary and Brian Hayes, though Robert Downey fared well on his return following an ankle-ligament problem.

“Niall is a bit stiff and sore,” O’Connor said, “he over-extended his shoulder, just an awkward tackle and he fell down on top of it then as well.

“The boys will assess him over the coming days. They had a look at him there and he's not too bad.

“Barry Walsh got a bit of a knock on his knee as well but I don't think he's too bothered about it. He doesn't think it's that serious.

“Brian got a bit of a bang. At that stage we were up by ten or 11 points so there was no point risking him. We also needed to get a bit of game-time into Shane Kingston and Paudie Power as well. If it was tighter, Brian would not have been coming off.

“Rob's ankle isn't 100 per cent but they'll have a look at him again in a couple of days.”