Cork's series of setbacks in the National Hurling League continues with confirmation defender Wayne Sherlock will miss the remainder of the competition after sustaining a shoulder injury during a club football game on Wednesday night.
Just last weekend manager Donal O'Grady outlined his fears over players risking injury because of club commitments, especially those attempting to play both codes.
Sherlock has made the right corner back position his own on the Cork team in recent seasons, but initial fears are that he will be sidelined for up to six weeks. The Blackrock hurler also plays club football with St Michael's, and it was during their first-round county championship game against UCC the injury occurred.
The right corner back position has for now been left vacant ahead of Sunday's league meeting with Waterford, a game which has been switched to Páirc Uí Rinn from Páirc Uí Chaoimh. O'Grady, though, won't be spoilt for choice when attempting to find a replacement.
Another of his defenders, Pat Mulcahy, has already been ruled out for several months with a wrist injury incurred in a car accident earlier this month.
This news has, however, been somewhat countered by the surprisingly swift return of former All-Ireland winner Brian Corcoran, who has been named among the substitutes for Sunday.
It was only last Monday week that Corcoran got the official invite from O'Grady to rejoin the Cork panel. Two days later he had his first full training session with the panel. According to county PRO John Motherway, he has been "shaping up very well".
Even with the injury problems in the camp it was unlikely Corcoran, though still only 30, would come straight back into the starting line-up. But it remains to be seen who will start at corner back, with Cian O'Connor given the left corner back position ahead of Mark Prendergast.
There are other changes from the team that fell by five points to Galway last Sunday, with Adrian Coughlan favoured ahead of his Blackrock clubmate Paul Tierney at midfield. With Niall McCarthy moved to the centre-forward position, Timmy McCarthy and Sarsfields' Kieran Murphy return to the starting line-up.
A second defeat for Cork would almost end their hopes of reaching the league final on May 9th, and Waterford, who breezed past Limerick last Sunday, are certainly in form to present a difficult challenge.
In the lower group, meanwhile, Wexford host old Leinster rivals Kilkenny searching for the win that would see off any threat of relegation.
Manager John Conran has again shaken up his team, with midfielder Adrian Fenlon starting at right half back, and David O'Connor retaining his unusual role at centre forward.
MJ Furlong moves to midfield, while there is a vacancy at left wing back, with both Willie Doran and Mick O'Leary carrying hamstring injuries.
Kilkenny, like a week ago against Offaly, have named fewer than half their All-Ireland-winning line-up. It's been confirmed that DJ Carey will miss the rest of the league with a hamstring injury and defender Philip Larkin has opted out of the panel after failing to secure a place in the regular starting line-up since this time last year.
CORK (SH v Waterford): D Og Cusack; AN Other, D O'Sullivan, C O'Connor; T Kenny, R Curran, S Ó hAilpín; J Gardiner, A Coughlan; J O'Callaghan, N McCarthy, T McCarthy; B Lombard, J Deane, K Murphy.
KILKENNY (SH v Wexford): J MGarry; M Kavanagh, B Hogan, J Ryall; S Dowling, J Mackey, W Burke; J Tyrell, D Lyng; C Phelan, J Maher, E Brennan; A Fogarty, M Comerford, J Coogan.
WEXFORD (SH v Kilkenny): D Fitzhenry; C Kehoe, D Ryan, M Travers; A Fenlon, D Ruth, AN Other; MJ Furlong, R Stafford; B Lambert, D O'Connor, M Jacob; M Jordan, P Carley, R Jacob.
