Walsh in line for All-Ireland final

GAA:Tommy Walsh is now expected to be fit in time for Kilkenny's All-Ireland final showdown with Tipperary next month after an X-ray revealed no serious damage to his injured shoulder.

There were fears that the hurler of the year would join Henry Shefflin on the sidelines as the Cats go for an historic five All-Ireland’s in a row.

The influential Walsh picked up the injury when he collided with county team mate Jackie Tyrrell when playing a club game for Tullaroan against James Stephens.

Selector Martin Fogarty said the injury to the AC joint was similar to that sustained by Brian Hogan during the semi-final win over Cork.

Fogarty also suggested Shefflin would not make a miraculous recovery from a cruciate injury in time for the September 5th final at Croke Park.

Shefflin is currently undergoing intensive treatment with renowned physio Ger Hartmann in Limerick.

"The amount of rubbish being spoken is unreal. People have been raving around the country about this," said Fogarty.

"With Henry, everything is being blown out of all proportion. Henry's cruciate is gone. End of story. Henry is trying to build up the knee so that he is in the best condition possible before he has to face the surgeon.

"If there is something still intact, that's fine, but if it's totally gone, the more work he has done to build up the knee pre-operation, the quicker his recovery will be. But the rumours are crazy. With the cruciate, when it's gone, it's gone."

The GAA has announced that Waterford’s Michael Wadding will take charge of next month’s final. The Roanmore clubman has refereed finals at minor and U21 level and he was also on duty for this year’s Leinster senior final clash of Kilkenny and Galway.

“I was absolutely thrilled to find out when the news came through,” Wadding said today. “I suppose getting the chance to referee an All-Ireland final is akin to a player being picked to play in one.

“Having been involved on three previous occasions – twice as stand-by referee and once as a linesman - I know how special a day it is and being chosen to actually referee this final obviously overshadows anything that has gone before.”

Down manager James McCartan said captain Ambrose Rogers is almost certain to miss out on playing in the SFC All-Ireland semi-final against Kildare at Croke Park on Sunday week (29th).

The Longstone midfielder also suffered a cruciate injury (ligament) during a club championship match earlier this month.

"Ambrose is seeing a specialist this week and, to be honest, we're not expecting good news," said McCartan at a press briefing in Newry’s Canal Court Hotel yesterday.

"Obviously, Ambrose is very important to us and there is that possibility you can tear on and take a chance.

"If you look at Dermot Earley's situation (the Kildare midfielder has continued playing with a cruciate tear), he is 32 and is near the end of an outstanding playing career and maybe this is one of his last chances.

“Ambrose is a lot younger and you'd be putting the rest of his career at risk if he were to continue playing. But we're preparing without him."