Cats suffer Tennyson blow

The Kilkenny hurlers have suffered a blow with the news that defender John Tennyson will miss next Sunday’s Leinster semi-final meeting with Dublin at Croke Park.

The Carrickshock player, an All-Star nominee in 2006 and 2009, suffered a tear in the quadriceps femoris (quad) muscle during a recent Club game and will definitely be out of action for two weeks.

That means he has no chance of playing against Anthony Daly’s side in the repeat of last year’s Leinster final, but should Kilkenny advance to the provincial decider against Galway or Offaly, aiming to win their sixth title in a row, he would more than likely be back in contention.

Tennyson played centre-back for the Cats as they won the 2006 All-Ireland and was at wing-back last year having won his way back onto the team following a cruciate ligament injury in 2007.

He was a regular starter, albeit in a number of positions, for Kilkenny during this year’s league and was believed to have been in line for a starting spot against Dublin prior to this setback, having been going well in training.

Meanwhile, Armagh star Ronan Clarke has been ruled out of the GAA Football All-Ireland Round 1 Qualifier clash with Ulster rivals Donegal on Saturday week.

Clarke has suffered a setback in his recovery from an Achilles injury that has ruled him out for most of the Allianz GAA Football National League.

The Armagh boss, Paddy O’Rourke, confirmed that the 2002 All-Ireland winner is facing a spell on the sidelines.

"He'll be out of football for some time. I'm not sure for how long, but he'll not be playing against Donegal," O’Rourke said.