GRAHAM CANTY has been named at full back in the Cork team for Sunday's Munster football final against Kerry in Páirc Uí Chaoimh, but is a serious injury concern.
The Cork captain was forced off towards the end of a training match last night after sustaining damage to the a/c shoulder joint and manager Conor Counihan will now wait until Sunday morning before deciding on his fitness.
"It happened at training during an A v B game," said team doctor Con Murphy. "Graham got a shoulder. It's too early to say how bad the damage is, but it's something we could do without and we hate to see fellas injured leading up to a big game.
"Graham will rest completely now and undergo physio with Colin Lane. We'll have another look at it on Sunday morning. It's unfortunate because it happened right at the end of the session."
In the likely event that he fails to recover, Derek Kavanagh is expected to move to full back. He comes into the side in place of Fintan Goold with Nicholas Murphy surprisingly moved to right wing forward as Kavanagh joins Alan O'Connor in midfield.
Other changes from the narrow victory over Limerick last month, when a late Canty goal saw Cork progress, sees Kieran O'Connor and Anthony Lynch return to the defence in place of injured duo Noel O'Leary and Paudie Kissane.
Cork's leading marksman James Masters has failed to regain his place in Counihan's team, but, despite picking up a knock last week, he is expected to feature from the bench at some stage.
Kerry have confirmed that Darragh Ó Sé and Killian Young returned to full training this week and are both available for selection.
Meanwhile, the mass exodus of Gaelic footballers to Australian Rules is looking increasingly inevitable, but the GAA's willingness to meet sports agent Ricky Nixon this week has not received the backing of the most high-profile export to the AFL, Tadhg Kennelly.
Nixon and Kennelly - a Kerry man playing for the Sydney Swans - became embroiled in a war of words in recent days over the correct route for an Irish player into the professional ranks.
Nixon claims Kennelly is suffering from "sour grapes" as he also made a similar 'Irish Academy' proposal to the AFL. "I don't know where in the world he got that from," said Kennelly yesterday on RTE radio. "I am trying to protect the welfare of players that have the opportunity to come over. Never once have I applied for anything about a players agency.
"There are people over in Ireland who have not talked once about protecting the players. The worst thing is there are a lot of us out here now and not a single one of us have been contacted about how to go about (it) and we are the ones who have come over and learned how to deal with this, know what to do and how to do it."
Nixon may actually have touched base with Colm Begley of the Brisbane Lions as, according to today's Australian Herald Sun, Begley's older brother, Joe, has been appointed general manager of recruiting in Ireland. The academy is to begin next month for 20 to 30 Irish players, aged 17 to 22, in both Dublin and Belfast.
Kennelly said he was available as a "sounding board" for any player who intends to come over. "Ring me up and ask me about what the clubs are saying. What I and other players have witnessed and what clubs often offer. They promise you the world."
Nixon claims to have five AFL clubs - Brisbane, Geelong, St Kilda, Richmond and North Melbourne - that will pay Aus$30,000 (€18,000) on signing a player.
Of his meeting with GAA president Nickey Brennan and director general Pauric Duffy on Monday, Nixon said: "We spoke openly and honestly about what I'm doing and they accept they can't stop players leaving Ireland, but for the sake of the clubs and everybody involved, their game will be protected as best it can.
"We've planned to meet during the International Series in October with the AFL. In the meantime, I will outline my plans in writing and they can discuss them internally."
CORK (SFC v Kerry):A Quirke, D Duggan, G Canty, K O'Connor; B O'Regan, G Spillane, A Lynch; A O'Connor, D Kavanagh; N Murphy, P O'Neill, S O'Brien; D Goulding, D O'Connor, J Hayes.
