Crokes hopeful of being at full strength

After extra-time victories in the Dublin SHC final and against last Sunday in their AIB Leinster Club SHC quarter-final Kilmacud Crokes will have time to attend to wounded bodies as they prepare for their provincial semi-final against the Kilkenny champions.

Crokes lost wing-backs Cian Mac Gabhann and Bill O'Carroll to injury in the second half of last Sunday's victory over Laois champions, Rathdowney Errill, while top-scorer Seanie McGrath tweaked a hamstring late in the game.

However, manager Ollie Baker is optimistic that all three will recover in plenty of time and that he will have a full panel to pick from for their next clash in almost three weeks' time.

“I don’t think Seanie’s badly injured. It was a bit of a hamstring strain. He should be fit in three weeks’ time,” says Ollie.

“Bill was carrying a bit of a knock coming into the game and Cian got a knee injury during the game, but we have a bit of time.”

The Crokes boss is under no illusions as to the size of the task his men will face next day out.

“We know there’s a mammoth task ahead of us in three weeks. We’ll just have to be ready for it. At the same time, there’s a real excitement about the fact that we are in a Leinster semi-final,” adds Ollie..

“These are brilliant days for Kilmacud and brilliant days for the players. We’ll live them as they are, and take every day as it comes.”