Kilkenny aren't giving up on the unlikely prospect of Henry Shefflin being fit to play in the All-Ireland hurling final.

Shefflin's worst fears were realised on Tuesday when scans on the knee injury he sustained in last Sunday's semi-final win over Cork revealed that he had torn the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) of his left knee. Such injuries usually require up to nine months' rehabilitation following surgery, and that appeared to rule Shefflin out of the September 5 decider.

But such is the Ballyhale clubman's importance to Kilkenny that they have sought a second opinion and, according to the Irish Times, the player - currently walking with the aid of two crutches - has attended Ger Hartmann's sports injury clinic in Limerick in recent days with a view to starting more intensive treatment next week.

The ACL is only one of four major ligaments in the knee, and the hope is that if the rest of the 31-year-old's knee is undamaged, then he may yet be able to play some part - more than likely as a substitute - in Kilkenny's bid for a historic five-in-a-row of All-Irelands. Tweet

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