Tipp sweating on severity of Kennedy knee injury
By Shane Brophy
Tipperary are sweating on the outcome of a consultation with a surgeon today ascertain the severity of the knee injury sustained by Seamus Kennedy in the Allianz National Hurling League defeat to Limerick on Saturday night.
The St Mary’s clubman crumpled to the ground in pain in the 46th minute with a non-contact injury, immediately reaching for his left knee. He opted not to use the cart to be moved from the field, instead walking off with the support of team physio Paddy O’Brien.
An MRI scan confirmed damage to the knee with Kennedy set to meet a consultant in Santry Sports Clinic to get a full diagnosis, the fear being that it is the dreaded cruciate ligament, which at the worse end would end his campaign with Tipperary, and even with a minor tear, puts the chances of him being ready for the start of the championship in major doubt.
It's just under seven weeks to Tipperary’s Munster Championship opener against Limerick on Sunday, 28th April and Kennedy would have been one of the nailed on starters, whether be it half-back, midfield, or half-forward, such is his versatility.
“I’m just so disappointed for Séamus,” Liam Cahill said on Saturday night.
“He was playing so well, and he’s a big player for us. Hopefully it’s nothing too serious.”
The 0-26 to 3-16 defeat on Saturday night leaves Tipperary relying on a favour from Limerick to reach a league semi-final as should Galway defeat the All-Ireland champions in the final round in Salthill (Limerick have conceded home advantage as the TUS Gaelic Grounds pitch is still not ready following remedial work) this Saturday, Tipp would likely miss out on score difference in a three-way tie, bar they record a win of over thirty points in Belfast.
It was confirmed by Croke Park that the three-way tie rule between the impacted teams only which was implemented in Tipperary club championship last year at intermediate level, impacting Cahill’s native Ballingarry, is for club only, whereas for the National League, results from all games are taken into equation.
“I know we’ll be depending on results now to see whether we make the last four or not, but it’s been a very decent League for us so far,” Cahill added.