Cork’s Under-20 hurlers will not be in a position to play next weekend’s All-Ireland final after a member of the panel tested positive for Covid-19. All members of the playing panel and management team were deemed close contacts.
A statement on Sunday evening, announced the news.
“A member of the Cork U20 Hurling group has tested positive for Covid-19. As a result, all players and management have been deemed as close contacts by the HSE. Therefore, Cork will be unable to fulfill Saturday’s All Ireland U20 final fixture at this time.”
Cork beat Limerick 1-26 to 1-24 to win the Munster title last week, their third success at the grade in the past four years. Only three weeks ago the county won the 2020 All-Ireland, defeating Dublin in the final.
They were scheduled to take on Leinster champions Galway, who beat Dublin in last week’s provincial final, in Semple Stadium next Saturday.
There has been no comment from the GAA but Cork will hope for a deferral in order to allow recovery from the outbreak. As it is the last match in the championship, the authorities may look differently on the situation than in similar cases when the season was in progress and no delays could be accommodated.
