O’CONNORS OUT OF U21 CLASH

COUSINS Rory O’Connor and Joe O’Connor have both been ruled out of Wexford’s side for today’s Bord Gáis All-Ireland Under 21 Hurling Championship semi-final at Nowlan Park, Kilkenny. Rory O’Connor failed a late fitness test at Thursday evening’s training session, the St Martin’s man’s knee injury now ruling him out of the game for up to six weeks, while Joe (O’Connor) has also been ruled out of contention with a knee problem. Also unavailable today is wing-forward Liam Stafford with a leg injury — a significant blow for Wexford after he impressed in the provincial final defeat by Galway. As a result, Wexford have delayed naming their side until shortly before throw-in. ‘These players are suffering burn-out rapidly,’ said St Martin’s chairman Michael Morrissey. ‘If they don’t change something rapidly and come up with something we will evolve like rugby, with clubs playing without their inter-county players. If they don’t get a handle on it there will be no clubs.’ Wexford will miss Rory O’Connor in particular and a lot will depend on how Cork react to their All-Ireland senior semi-final defeat by Limerick, following extra time, for by the end of the 90-odd minutes, no fewer than six of their U21 side had figured. They had three players in the starting 15, Mark Coleman, Darragh Fitzgibbon and Shane Kingston — while Robbie O’Flynn, Tim O’Mahony and Jack O’Connor all figured during the course of the game. ALL-IRELAND U21HC SEMI-FINAL: Throw-in: 4pm, Nowlan Park TV: LIVE on TG4 from 3.35pm Referee: Alan Kelly (Galway)