John Mullane is likely to be Waterford's only absentee from this Sunday's All-Ireland hurling semi-final against Kilkenny. Mullane is suspended after being sent off in the Munster final against Cork. Forward Michael Walsh is the only injury concern after hurting his ankle but he should be all right to play. Seán Moran reports.

Goalkeeper Stephen Brenner is also back in contention after missing the recent challenge match against Antrim and a club match with De La Salle.

Waterford had made a submission to the Games Administration Committee that the Munster championship was a different competition to the All-Ireland championship and that consequently Mullane's one-match suspension should be served in next year's provincial championship rather than next Sunday's semi-final.

But the GAC, in a written reply, rejected the submission, citing Appendix 1 of the Official Guide, which sets out the championship format under the current experimental structure (which concludes this year), as including the provincial championships, qualifiers and All-Ireland series.

Mullane has accepted the decision and ruled out availing of the litigious route that enabled Westmeath's Rory O'Connell to evade the consequences of suspension in the football championship.

"He can't be playing. The decision is made and accepted and there the matter rests," said Waterford PRO John Jackson.

"This is John's own decision. He's the only one who could take it to court or pursue it within the GAA and he doesn't want to go any farther. He accepts the ruling of the association."

Waterford will select their team later in the week and a number of players are in the frame to replace Mullane. Brian Wall played centrefield in the recent challenge match against Antrim, which would allow either David Bennett or Eoin Kelly move into the forwards. Andy Moloney presents an alternative version of this switch.

Should Justin McCarthy and his selectors decide to make a straight swap, replacement forwards Paul O'Brien and Jack Kennedy would be possibilities.

Laois's Beano McDonald is recovering in hospital after an operation early yesterday morning on his broken leg, sustained in Sunday's All-Ireland qualifier with Tyrone. McDonald's tibia and fibula were broken in the accidental collision with Ryan McMenamin, whose immediate reaction gave the first indication McDonald was in serious trouble.

Former Meath All-Ireland winner and surgeon Gerry McEntee, who had been watching the match, made immediate arrangements to take McDonald around to the Mater Hospital.

The player already has a pin in his ankle after an injury picked up over four years ago in an O'Byrne Cup match against Carlow. He was also due to undergo a pelvic operation as soon as the season was over.

Dublin's Dessie Farrell will know today the extent of the damage done to his knee after Sunday's injury in the All-Ireland qualifier defeat of Roscommon, during which he appeared for six minutes as a replacement before sustaining the injury.

"Dessie will be getting a scan in the morning and hopefully it won't turn out to be as bad as feared," said Dublin selector David Billings. "I was talking to him and he's feeling sore. The injury is to his other knee and not the one he's had trouble with before."

Ironically Farrell had dispensed with the heavy strapping he normally wears over the troublesome knee after some intensive physiotherapy during the spring had built up the leg.

Finally, Tyrone manager Mickey Harte has injury problems with a number of players ahead of Saturday's All-Ireland quarter-final with Mayo.

Goalkeeper Pascal McConnell is the most serious doubt, after dislodging two teeth during Sunday's win over Laois.

"Pascal has two teeth fairly well dislodged. I'd say they can be salvaged by modern technology, but they were well driven back in his head," said Harte. "It depends what he has to get done with them, and whether he's advised that contact sport may be detrimental to their well-being. We'll have to see what the dental report is."

Owen Mulligan was replaced with a dead leg four minutes into the second half and is doubtful.

"He got it in the first half, but after half-time he became more aware of it and it became more difficult for him," said Harte. "We're hopeful he will be available for Saturday."

Peter Canavan didn't play after suffering yet another setback on his road to fitness but is expected to be included in the squad.

"He had a bit of a niggle in the ankle, not the original injury. He got another bit of a twist in it, but he should be okay, and he'll be available on the bench," said Harte.