Cork pave way for Cadogan's dual roles

THE ONLY active elite inter-county dual player, Cork’s Eoin Cadogan, looks set to be accommodated for this year’s championship. His hurling manager Jimmy Barry-Murphy, one of the greatest players to combine football and hurling in a glittering career, and Cork football manager Conor Counihan, are endeavouring to share the 25-year-old’s defensive attributes.

“He has it easy,” joked Barry-Murphy yesterday. “It’s worked very well with Conor in fairness. We worked a schedule of games we sought to target, and games we thought we could release him to either team who needed him most at a particular time.

“It is difficult to come back playing hurling after football. It is difficult for next Sunday for Eoin, there’s no question about that. Even going back to my time, though it’s different to the players nowadays, but it is difficult going back playing hurling, no question about that and given the level we’re playing at next Sunday, against Kilkenny, it’s not an easy ask for him in fairness.”

Kilkenny will not be at full strength this weekend as Richie Power had knee surgery yesterday, but is expected to return for the championship, while Henry Shefflin (shoulder), Michael Rice (knee), Noel Hickey (hamstring) and Aidan Fogarty (wrist) are also unavailable.

“Henry is doing okay, he’s doing fine,” said Kilkenny manager Brian Cody. “He’s where he needs to be from the point of view of post-operation stuff. He’s not in serious contact yet. The long-term thing was June all along but who knows. We’ll just monitor the situation.”

Good news for the All-Ireland champions is Richie Hogan’s rapid recovery from a collapsed lung and two broken ribs, sustained in the league match against Galway on April 1st.

“It looked like it was going to be at least six weeks but he came back last Sunday after four weeks and got through a club game (for Danesfort) well,” Cody continued.

“If Richie is fit he will certainly be considered. He is really determined, he came back strongly, he spent three days in hospital, he got a drain into the lung. It was not a pleasant experience. The ribs were worrying because it obviously prolonged the thing. He says he is not feeling the pain . . . What I liked about it was he wanted to play with his club on Sunday. I would admire him for that.”

Meanwhile, GAA director general Páraic Duffy confirmed yesterday there will be a €5 discount for supporters who purchase tickets in advance of Sunday’s league final at Semple Stadium.

“This is our attempt to avoid the entry problems of the semi-finals two weeks ago,” said Duffy. “If 8,000 to 10,000 supporters arrive with cash 10 minutes before the match it becomes impossible to get them through the turnstiles in time.”

Adult tickets can be purchased in advance for €20 and €5 for juveniles. Terrace tickets cost €15 for adults and €5 for juveniles. Senior citizens and students can purchase stand tickets in advance for €20 or on match day for €25 and claim €10 back at the designated concession stiles on Sunday. Tickets are available in SuperValu and Centra shops in both Kilkenny and Cork or online at gaa.ie/tickets.