Henry Shefflin is likely to miss Kilkenny's opening championship match against Offaly in four weeks time after it was revealed that he sustained a foot fracture in last weekend's league final victory against Tipperary. Now at 35 and in his 16th season, he is attempting to win an unprecedented 10th All-Ireland hurling medal in the season ahead.

He trained with his club Ballyhale Shamrocks on Tuesday night but having experienced discomfort, had the injury diagnosed yesterday. Recovery time is estimated at roughly six weeks.

Shefflin’s later career has been plagued with injuries, including two cruciates, in 2007 and 2010, as well as shoulder and last year, foot injuries. Despite all of the setbacks he didn’t miss a championship match until 12 months ago when he also sustained a stress fracture in the foot and was unable to face Offaly in the Leinster championship.

It wasn’t until the beginning of July that he re-appeared, as a replacement against Tipperary in the All-Ireland qualifiers.