Clare face an anxious wait for news about the injury sustained by Ollie Baker during Sunday's Munster hurling final defeat by Cork. Baker was taken off in the 53rd minute with a recurrence of a persistent ankle injury and was having it X-rayed yesterday.

Although there has been no definitive diagnosis, the player himself was pessimistic about his chances of making the All-Ireland quarterfinals and opinion within the county is downbeat, with the gloomiest predictions forecasting that the hugely-influential midfielder will be out until the end of the year.

Baker has been experiencing problems with his ankle since damaging ligaments in a county championship match for his club St Joseph's Doora-Barefield.

St Joseph's went all the way to All-Ireland success last March and this meant that Baker never had the opportunity to rest the injury. Furthermore, the club progressed to the semi-finals of the county football championship - a run which placed further demands on Baker at a time when he could have been recuperating.

Baker also missed a lot of training because of the injury which left him short of match fitness. Every time he could train he pushed himself very hard which may not have helped rehabilitation.

Going into this season's Munster championship there were doubts about his participation in the semi-final with Tipperary. In the end he came on a substitute and then started the replay. In Sunday's match, he twice had to receive treatment for a calf injury which is believed to have contributed to the circumstances in which his ankle was injured.

Meanwhile his clubmate, Jamesie O'Connor is still recovering from a broken arm. Although the cast is off, it had always been touch-and-go whether he would be fit for a possible All-Ireland semi-final next month, let alone the quarter-finals in less than three weeks.

Ahead of next weekend's Leinster hurling final, there are precious few injury stories to enliven the build-up. Definitely out is Kilkenny wing back Peter Barry who injured the medial ligament in one of his knees in a club match this day last week.

Midfielder and captain Denis Byrne is slightly doubtful because of a broken finger sustained against Laois in last month's provincial semi-final. Byrne himself is said to be hopeful that he will play.

Last year's full back Pat O'Neill is still struggling to get himself fit after a long lay-off for a groin operation last January. Speculation is that he will come into consideration for the full back spot, thus freeing Canice Brennan to move into the centre back position he filled so successfully last year.

Eamonn Kennedy is again available after sustaining an injury in the Laois game, in which he played at centre back. He had featured there during the league while Brennan was on duty with the army in the Lebanon. Finally, after their impression of a field hospital prior to the Leinster semi-finals, Offaly report no injuries ahead of the showdown between the reigning Leinster champions and the All-Ireland holders.