*Cian Lynch will miss Sunday’s Munster final. Photograph: Gerard O’Neill
HURLER OF THE YEAR, Cian Lynch will not line out in Sunday’s Munster SHC final.
Limerick manager, John Kiely has confirmed that the two-time Hurler of the Year will miss the provincial decider. The Patrickswell man sustained a hamstring injury in the first half of their opening round win over Waterford in April and has missed the remainder of the Munster campaign.
Elsewhere on the injury front, Aaron Gillane and Darragh O’Donovan have returned to action for the Treaty County, Cathal O’Neill is also back to full fitness having done minor ankle ligament damage in their clash with Tipperary.
According to Kiely, Lynch is “definitely out” for the Munster final. “There was no original timeline given, all we said was that he wouldn’t partake in the Munster Championship, that’s all”.
He added, “I’m not a great believer in hope, so really with a hamstring injury everything hinges on how that injury rehabs and how the healing process partakes for Cian. Every athlete is different, so thankfully Cian’s healing powers are strong and he is healing really really well. He is rehabbing really well. But I’m not going to put Cian on the pitch until I know he is 130 per cent and that he’s unbreakable, because he has to be spot on the money when he’s on the pitch. So we’ll keep rehabbing and building and strengthening him until we are satisfied this man is 110 per cent”.
Both Peter Casey and Barry Murphy are edging closer to a return, they both underwent cruciate ligament operations last Autumn. “Both Barry Murphy and Peter Casey are still making very significant progress in their recoveries and are getting nearer to a full recovery, but again that’s just a little bit off yet,” Kiely stated.
