Cork captain Seamus Harnedy cleared to play against Tipperary
Friday 12 April 2019 10:58, UK
Cork hurling captain Seamus Harnedy has been cleared to play in the Munster Senior Hurling Championship opener against Tipperary in Páirc Uí Chaoimh.
The St Ita's club man was shown a red card during the Rebels' loss to the Premier in round five of the Allianz Hurling League, and it looked likely that he would miss the May 12 showdown as relegation play-offs do not count to fulfil a suspension.
However, the Irish Examiner reports Cork have successfully argued that their meeting with Kilkenny last month wasn't a relegation play-off, as next year's league restructure means neither went down.
Therefore, the Imokilly star's suspension has been served after he sat out the trip to Nowlan Park, and he is free to lead the team out when Liam Sheedy's Tipp side come to town in May. Cork open their title defence at home to their great rivals, as they bid for a third successive provincial crown.
This also clears Kilkenny's Conor Delaney for the Cats' Leinster Championship opener at home to Dublin. Delaney was in a similar scenario to Harnedy after his red card against Wexford. However, the Erin's Owen man is in a race to be fit for the meeting with Mattie Kenny's Dublin side, and may miss out anyway.
