Tipperary's Maher likely to miss date with Clare

Tipperary are set to face Clare in this weekend's Munster hurling semi-final without All Star full back Philip Maher who injured his knee in training on Sunday. Maher sustained a severe cruciate injury just two years ago and missed a year's hurling as a result.

This new setback is in the same knee, but is believed to be damage to the medial ligament, which could keep him out for at least three weeks - making it a race against time should the county reach the Munster final on June 26th.

Team selector Colm Bonnar hasn't altogether given up hope on the player making a miraculous recovery in time for this weekend's match, but conceded this was an unlikely scenario. "We're not 100 per cent sure at the moment and if the swelling were to go down in the next 48 hours the doctor would be optimistic that he could line out. But it's more serious than we thought on the day when it looked like he had just twisted the knee.

"It's more likely that he'll have to get keyhole surgery for the medial ligament and that will keep him out for a few weeks, which would be touch and go for the Munster final if we got there and would mean that he'd miss the first round of the qualifiers if we lost."

Bonnar said manager Ken Hogan and the team would have to meet earlier this week than planned to consider the options.

"Paul Curran has played at full back in the championship when Philip was out and John Devane is a natural full back, although we've been using him in the forwards."

Further news from the county is that Paddy O'Brien, who started the drawn match against Limerick and came on as a replacement in the replay, misses the Clare match after getting a straight red card playing for his club Toomevara.

Opponents Clare have no real injury concerns according to county PRO Des Crowe. "There was a suggestion that Alan Markham would miss out because of a hamstring twinge, but that's a minor situation and I'd be confident that he'll play."

The big football match this weekend is in Leinster with the great modern rivalry between Dublin and Meath being renewed at Croke Park. Meath manager Seán Boylan has a number of worries ahead of selecting his team. Twice footballer of the year Trevor Giles is out and is joined by others.

"Brian O'Reilly who played in the league final against Monaghan has broken his scafoid. Stephen MacGabhann and Ollie Murphy will also miss out so that's four gone," said Boylan yesterday. Sunday will be his 17th championship season playing Dublin - out of 23 years in charge of Meath.

Dublin manager Paul Caffrey is on his first such encounter and isn't as troubled by injury, but he said yesterday that Declan O'Mahony, the under-21 centrefielder and one of his panel's up-and-coming talents will be absent this Sunday.

"Declan O'Mahony picked up another shoulder injury and will be having an MRI scan tomorrow (Tuesday). We're concerned about it and he'll be out for Sunday. Shane Ryan has a slight hamstring strain, but we're very hopeful that he'll be available. This is a match the supporters love and the players love. Meath are always a true measure of where you stand."

Meanwhile, Wexford's selectors have a number of injury problems ahead of Sunday's other Leinster championship quarter-final against Carlow in Croke Park. Six players are receiving treatment at the moment. Niall Murphy (ankle), Nicky Lambert (shin), Redmond Barry (calf), John Hegarty (hamstring), Jim D'Arcy (thigh) and Pat Forde (knee).

There are serious concerns that Lambert, who is having screws removed from the shinbone he broke in last year's championship, won't be fit in time. There is, however, better news on defenders David Murphy and Shane Cullen, who are recovering after picking up thigh and ankle injuries in club championship games three weeks ago.

Antrim hurling has received another blow with the news that defensive anchor man Karl McKeegan will miss next Sunday's Ulster final against Down due to a broken thumb.

The news couldn't come at a worse time for Dinny Cahill who is trying to refocus his side after last week's bruising Ulster semi-final clash in New York and a humiliating 45-point trashing (5-34 to 0-4) by Kilkenny in a challenge game at the weekend.

Cahill's football counterpart, Michael Culbert, also finds himself in a quandary for Saturday's replay against Cavan at Casement Park, scheduled for 6pm.

Midfield ace Martin McCarry limped out of Sunday's drawn game and is extremely doubtful, while wing forward Terry O'Neill has a shoulder problem. Aidan Gallagher, who came on as a substitute for Antrim at Breffni Park, is unavailable because of a pre-arranged trip to New York.

Donal O'Grady, who has made such an impact in midfield in his debut season with the Limerick hurling team, will miss the All-Ireland qualifiers in mid June.

O'Grady picked up a serious finger injury while assisting his club Granagh-Ballingarry in the intermediate hurling championship at the weekend, and is expected to be out of action for at least one month.

Also on the treatment table is veteran Mark Foley, who sustained a similar injury in Limerick's defeat by Tipperary in their Munster championship replay.