Cork face an anxious wait in the lead-up to the All-Ireland hurling final next month as captain Mark Landers struggles to overcome a cartilage injury. The centre-fielder twisted his knee playing for Imokilly against Newtownshandrum in the county championship last weekend.
"He's had an operation," according to manager Jimmy Barry-Murphy, "for a torn cartilage and he has four weeks to recover. We're hopeful but you'd have to be concerned about a cartilage injury. We'll wait and see."
Landers and Mickey O'Connell were the surprise choice as Cork's centrefield pairing back in June for the championship opener against Waterford. They had a storming debut and have since survived the attentions of both Clare's and Offaly's well-regarded partnerships.
Cork returned to training last night after a week off to recover from their epic semi-final victory over Offaly.
Meanwhile Mayo football manager John Maughan's sole selection concern tomorrow night when he names the team to face Cork in Sunday's All-Ireland football semi-final will be who to leave out.
"Everything's 100 per cent," he said, "and we'll have decisions to make all over the place. But the main question is in the defence with Noel Connelly fit again."
Connelly captained the county to two All-Ireland finals in 1996 and '97 but was injured for last month's Connacht final defeat of All-Ireland champions Galway. His place at left wing back went to debutant Alan Roche who had a marvellous match in a strikingly effective half-back line.
Maughan has been concerned about the amount of time which has passed since the victory in Tuam. "It's too long. Five weeks between matches. We've prepared and watched Cork in the Munster final. They've an impressive defence and are in good form. With the monkey off their back in Munster, they'll be very dangerous."
Mayo have an unhappy history against Cork at Croke Park over the last 10 years, losing the 1989 All-Ireland final and being demolished in the 1993 semi-final. Maughan himself played in the following year's big defeat for Castlebar Mitchels at the hands of Cork city club Nemo Rangers.
"None of that has been spoken about to any great extent," says Maughan. "Everyone's aware Cork are impressive and we'll be concentrating on that. It's hard to know how much of an improvement we have made. It's like a horse in a race. You can be going well in training, but you don't know until the day."
He rejects the idea that Mayo's greater experience will stand to their advantage on Sunday. "In 1996, we were fairly inexperienced but we should have won the All-Ireland. The following year we weren't as close."
A morale-boost before the big match came in the shape of James Horan's selection as Eircell Player of the Month for July. This was is recognition of the Mayo full forward's pivotal role in the Connacht final success to which he contributed five points from play.
The award capped a fine recovery in Horan's fortunes. One of the most impressive forwards in 1996 when playing on the wing, he suffered from a decline in confidence and form before regaining both this year.
The Cork team will be announced after training tonight. Changes are not expected, although Michael O'Donovan may come in for consideration - he broke a collar bone in a challenge match against Sligo some time ago. Ronan McCarthy is likely to retain his place, however, after a good performance against Maurice Fitzgerald in the Munster final against Kerry.
