Offaly get small measure of comfort

Offaly hurling supporters were given some encouragement yesterday when the injuries to Hubert Rigney and Kevin Martin were described as less serious than at first believed.

Fears that Rigney had broken a leg and that Martin had lost part of a finger were not realised, although there are still serious doubts about whether they will be fully fit for the All-Ireland semi-final against Cork on Sunday week. It appears that Rigney has ligament damage to his right leg with considerable bruising. It will be a day or two before the damage can be fully assessed.

The same applies to Martin's hand injury. A spokeswoman for the Mater Hospital in Dublin said yesterday that both players had been "discharged with minor injuries".

Galway would appear to have a more serious problem as far as their replay against Clare on Bank Holiday Monday is concerned. Circumstances which arose during the match dictated that they had to use three different full backs - Brian Feeney, Michael Healy (both injured) and Peter Huban.

They were fortunate that Huban, from the Kinvara club, has experience at full back where he won an All-Ireland under-21 medal with Galway in 1996.

Feeney, who has become an inspirational figure for Galway in recent times and is the team captain, had a hamstring problem going into the match, while Healy, who replaced him after only eight minutes, is troubled by an ankle injury. He was replaced by Huban after 42 minutes.

Cathal Moore, who played a hugely significant part in the Galway effort from centre half back, remarked afterwards that Galway were precluded from making tactical changes because of their full back problems.

"In the modern game you need to have the option of making switches and substitutions, but our problems at full back limited our options because we could use only three subs," he said. Galway were encouraged by the fact that Kevin Broderick had a good game, even though were doubts about his fitness before hand, and also that the midfield pairing of Joe Cooney and Fergus Flynn worked reasonably well. Liam Burke remains unlikely to take part in the replay because of persistent problems with his back, but Alan Kerins's brother Mark will be considered for a place in attack.

The word from Clare is that the only worry about the line-out for the replay is centred on Jamesie O'Connor. He lifted the spirit of the team when he came on after 46 minutes and helped to spark their revival.

However, he continues to have a problem with his right hand where a steel plate has been inserted. He recently paid a visit to Gerard Hartman in London for consultation and treatment. The word in Clare is that it is unlikely that he would be able to play a full championship match.

The decision to replay the Clare/Galway match in Croke Park on Bank Holiday Monday has surprised many people and nobody seems to be able to remember a match of such importance being played on a Monday.

It is understood that the Galway Races played a major part in the decision not to play it on Saturday. Apparently, both sides were also in favour of playing at Croke Park. The attendance of just over 34,000 on Sunday for a double header was disappointing and, even allowing for the exciting generated by the drawn match, a smaller crowd can be expected next Monday.

The Kilkenny teams which won the All-Ireland titles of 1974 and '75 were honoured last night in Kilkenny by the Irish Nationwide Building Society's Jubilee Awards scheme. The players will also be introduced to the crowds at the All-Ireland final in Croke Park in September.

Kilkenny '74: N Skehan; P Larkin, N Orr (capt), J Treacy; P Lawlor, P Henderson, T McCormack; L O'Brien, F Cummins; M Crotty, P Delaney, B Fitzpatrick; (capt '75) M Brennan, K Purcell, E Keher.

In 1975, Brian Cody, the present team manager, replaced Jim Treacy at left corner back.