Word spread last weekend that Kilkenny officials have sought a second opinion on the severity of Henry Shefflin's knee injury, in the hope that the All-star attacker may after all be able to play some part in the All-Ireland SHC final on September 5..
Shefflin's worst fears were realised last week when scans revealed that he had torn the anterior cruciate ligament of his left knee.
Such injuries normally require up to eight months' rehabilitation following surgery.
But to speed up recovery ‘King Henry’ has been sent to Ger Hartmann's sports injury clinic in Limerick with a view to starting more intensive treatment. However, this is not to ensure a place in the final according to Kilkenny senior hurling selector Martin Fogarty, “People have been talking about Henry playing in the final and that is nonsense. With Henry, everything is being completely blown out of proportion. Henry's cruciate is gone. If there is something still intact, that's fine, but if it's totally gone, it's gone.”
