Canty could be back for Cork's next assignment

CHAMPIONSHIP 2008 NEWS:CORK CAPTAIN Graham Canty has been given "a sporting chance" of being fit for an All-Ireland football championship quarter-final on the weekend of August 9th/10th following fears he had suffered cruciate knee ligament damage in Sunday's Munster final victory over Kerry.

An X-ray revealed Canty had suffered less serious damage.

The county's medical officer Dr Con Murphy pointed out: "The scan showed that Graham had suffered strained medial ligaments in his (left) knee and in terms of a rehabilitation period he would have a sporting chance of being available for the All-Ireland quarter-final next month."

Canty's left knee collided with the head of Kerry midfielder Séamus Scanlon as the pair contested possession, forcing the Corkman to retire injured after 49 minutes. The initial fear was he had suffered the same cruciate ligament injury he sustained to his right knee in the 2006 Munster final against Kerry.

Canty had passed a fitness test only on the morning of last Sunday's match, Murphy confirming the player came through with no reaction to a shoulder problem.

The less severe injury represents a huge fillip for manager Conor Counihan and Cork football as they reflect on a remarkable second-half performance that saw them dethrone the Munster and All-Ireland champions.

Kerry manager Pat O'Shea's thoughts will turn to the relatively unfamiliar All-Ireland qualifiers route, with the Kingdom due to return to competitive fare on the weekend of August 2nd/4th.

Of more immediate concern will be the findings of the Central Competitions Control Committee (CCCC) with regard to the sending-off of corner back Marc Ó Sé, one of three players to get the line in the final. He was shown a straight red card by Longford referee Derek Fahy after clashing with Cork's Seán O'Brien.

The consensus in the aftermath was the offence didn't warrant censure, let alone a red card. The CCCC, though, will decide whether to impose a four-week ban for dangerous play and, if they do so, it's likely Kerry will ask to have Ó Sé's case heard by the Central Hearings Committee (CAC).

Meanwhile, Tyrone manager Mickey Harte received encouraging news over the weekend that four injured players returned to competitive fare. Owen Mulligan, Enda McGinley, Raymond Mulgrew and Colm Cavanagh all came through club championship games and could feature in the All-Ireland qualifier against Louth on Saturday week.

Mulligan, who has not played for Tyrone since pulling a hamstring in a National Football League tie in March, completed a championship game for Cookstown. Club colleague Mulgrew, who missed the Ulster championship replay defeat to Down because of a shoulder injury, also played.

McGinley missed the Down defeat after suffering concussion in the drawn game, but came through 60 minutes for Errigal Ciarán, while Cavanagh came on as a substitute in Moy's intermediate championship win over Moortown.

A multimedia "experience" illustrating the life and times of the founder of the GAA has been opened at the Michael Cusack Centre in Carron, Co Clare. A mid-air holographic projection of Cusack greets visitors to the 19th century Burren cottage and the multimedia "Cusack Experience"

The installation was unveiled yesterday by the Minister of State with responsibility for the Office of Public Works and the Arts, Martin Mansergh, and marks the latest phase in a €1.2-million project that has seen the restoration of the Cusack family cottage and the development of a visitor centre.