GAA: Kilkenny's Henry Shefflin is expected to miss the entire 2012 National Hurling League campaign to recover from shoulder surgery.
The 10-time All Star winner has yet to have the operation on an injury sustained when playing in the county semi-final for Ballyhale Shamrocks, but he will need “at least six months” to recover, according to his club chairman Seán Reid.
"Henry injured his shoulder against O'Loughlin Gaels in the county semi-final," Reid explained to the Irish Examiner. "He was able to play on that day, and he played against James Stephens in the final and the replay as well, but he'll have to have an operation on it soon and he's likely to miss out on at least six months as he recovers.
"That means we'll be without him here in the club for the early part of the county championship, and Kilkenny look like they won't have him at all for the National Hurling League, because even if he had the operation right now you'd be talking about May or maybe June before he'd be right."
Kilkenny open their championship campaign on June 23rd, with Dublin their most likely opponents.
Shefflin’s clubmate James ‘Cha’ Fitzpatrick, meanwhile, has ruled out the prospect of lining out for Dublin that day after announcing his departure from the Cats squad this week.
Fitzpatrick, 26, insists he will remain playing for Ballyhale, despite being based in Dublin. He left the Kilkenny because of the travelling involved and the lack of game time he was getting at inter-county level.
"I am not going anywhere else. I will continue to play with Shamrocks, and that will be it," he told the Kilkenny Peoplebefore reiterating he wasn't happy with the lack of action he saw in a campaigh that saw the Cats retain the Liam McCarthy Cup with a final win over Tipperary in September.
"While winning is a bonus at the end of a season, the number one priority for any player is to play. During last summer I felt I was very fit and in flying form but was overlooked," he said.
"I've been on both sides of the fence and there's only one side to be on. It's been a wonderful eight years to be involved with Kilkenny hurling. I've achieved every hurling goal and more. I was very lucky to be involved with such a talented group of players. I'll continue to enjoy my club hurling with Ballyhale Shamrocks and I will take this opportunity to achieve new goals and targets that I set out for myself."