MULLEN RULED OUT FOR THE SUMMER

REIGNING Young Hurler of the Year Adrian Mullen has been ruled out for the year with a torn cruciate knee ligament. On a weekend when Limerick defender Richie English was sidelined with the same injury and Tyrone’s All-Star footballer Cathal McShane dislocated his ankle, the Kilkenny man is another to suffer a serious injury blow. The 20-year-old (right) was stretchered off in the 21st minute of Sunday’s Allianz Hurling League draw with Clare having scored two points and looking sharp on his first match back with Kilkenny after winning an AllIreland club title with Ballyhale.

Meanwhile, former Clare captain Patrick O’Connor has admitted that the senior panel were ‘very hurt’ by last year’s Munster Championship exit. The Banner crashed out of the province last summer in the group stage but have shown signs of life under new manager Brian Lohan, winning three and drawing one against Kilkenny last weekend. They are now the first team from Division 1 Group B to guarantee at least a quarter-final place. And it was O’Connor’s hook on Bill Sheehan in the last play of the game that helped secure that point at UPMC Nowlan Park last weekend. ‘Yeah, well we were very hurt by what happened last year really,’ revealed O’Connor. ‘In the off-season, the group were together and talking about how we can make it better. There is a feel-good factor now.’ And he gave an insight into life under Lohan, the famous fullback who was such a warrior figure on the Clare team of the 1990s that won two All-Irelands. ‘You saw the kind of player he was and what is fascinating for me is to see him and the way his mind works. ‘[The management team] are just look for who is putting their shoulder to the wheel when things get tough.’