KILMACUD CROKES are hopeful of having captain Shane Cunningham back for Sunday week’s county final after a horror facial injury.
The former Dublin attacker and 2023 Club Footballer of the Year required surgery after a collision in Crokes’ quarter-final defeat of Ballyboden.
Cunningham, who captained the Stillorgan side to All-Ireland success early last year, missed last weekend’s county semi-final win over Na Fianna.
Boss Robbie Brennan explained that he suffered a number of fractures after a collision with team-mate Ben Shovlin in the extra-time win over Ballyboden.
Eyeing the October 20 final against Cuala, Brennan said: “Shane will hopefully be back, he’s our captain. He got a nasty knock against
’Boden, just unfortunately ran into Ben Shovlin’s knee.
“He had to get surgery on it but he’s feeling good so hopefully with another week or two we might have him back.
“It was unfortunate, he was left with a couple of fractures so he had to get surgery. But he’s in good form so hopefully we’ll have him back.”
It will be a novel Dublin decider between Stillorgan side Crokes and Dalkey outfit Cuala who are located just 7km apart.
The sides last clashed in the quarter-final stage in 2022 when Crokes won 0-14 to 1-9.
Brennan, who will step down and focus on his new role as Meath boss if Crokes lose, said: “We were very lucky to get through that game.”
