Kilkenny suffered a fresh injury blow last night when Richie Power was forced to sit out training due to an ankle injury.

The Carrickshock clubman, who took on the mantle of the Cats' attack leader after a knee injury forced Henry Shefflin off in the first half of the All-Ireland semi-final victory over Cork, is understood to have suffered a recurrence of an ankle problem in training last weekend which forced him to use crutches for a couple of days.

However, Kilkenny are confident that he will be available for the final on Sunday week.

Meanwhile, Cats boss Brian Cody is refusing to rule cruciate ligament victims Henry Shefflin and John Tennyson out of the final. While admitting that their chances of playing in the final are slim, he is still prepared to give them every chance to prove their fitness.

"You would have to presume they will not be alright," Cody said last night.

"But they will be doing everything to try and give themselves a chance. They are getting treatment and it is in the lap of the gods.

"It won't be a decision made in the last minute, they will try it at one stage. To have a hope of playing, they will have to be 100 per cent. They wouldn't be considered otherwise.

"Anybody who wants to play in an All-Ireland final would have to be training flat out." Tweet

Most Read Stories