Cork defender Anthony Lynch hasn't given up hope of playing in next weekend's All-Ireland final against Kerry despite sustaining a broken bone in his hand in training last Saturday.

Lynch is to see a specialist in Cork today to investigate the possibility of protecting the injury sufficiently to allow him to play. As a result the Cork team is not expected to be finalised until Thursday after training.

Should the county board release a team this evening, as would ordinarily be the case the Tuesday before a match, it is likely to include the injured wing back pending a definitive opinion on his injury.

"In fairness to Anthony," we want to give him every chance to see if he can play," said manager Billy Morgan. "A final decision will be made on Wednesday but won't be released until after we've had a chance to tell the players after training on Thursday."

Kerry are expected to finalise their team tonight but may not release it until tomorrow morning.

Meanwhile the GAA has explained its decision to take the Peadar Carton case to the Disputes Resolution Authority last weekend. Carton's eight-week suspension for striking had been struck down by the GAA's Central Appeals Committee on what appear to be questionable grounds.

A statement from Croke Park stated that the decision to refer the matter to the DRA was based on legal opinion to the effect that the case referred to the Central Hearings Committee by the Central Appeals Committee could in fact have been heard by the former body. It was felt that this advice could not be ignored. The DRA chose not to hear the case. As in all cases, the decision of the DRA is accepted as final.