The Tipperary senor hurlers are facing another brace of injury concerns with the news that Gearóid O’Connor and Brian McGrath under pressure to feature for the preliminary quarter-final against Offaly in three weekends time.
Both O'Connor and McGrath were forced off in their disappointing Munster championship loss to Waterford last Sunday with O’Connor, suffering an ankle injury after colliding with a pitch side camera while attempting to strike the ball.
The Moyne-Templetuohy forward was heavily strapped after the collision and was forced off in the 25th minute after attempting to continue with a strapping around his ankle.
Although there were fears that there was a broken bone in the ankle, O’Connor is understood to be facing a minimum of three to four weeks on the sidelines with ankle ligament damage, while McGrath shipped a heavy knock to the back in the second half.
The youngest McGrath tried to return to the game after temporarily being forced off but he was quickly replaced and clearly distressed when exiting for a second time.
Both players are now in a race against time to be fit to play Offaly in a preliminary All-Ireland quarter-final on June 17.