The Cork footballers have been boosted by the news that Colm O’Neill is set to feature in next month’s McGrath Cup competition.
The Rebels forward has not played inter-county football since he tore his cruciate ligament during his side’s Allianz Football League clash with Galway back in March.
Having previously suffered the same injury it was a devastating blow at the time for the 2009 All-Ireland U21 winning captain, who went on to miss his side’s league title success as well as the failed defence of their 2010 Sam Maguire crown.
But the Ballyclough club man is now in the frame to feature against Clare or UL in the McGrath Cup on January 15, with Cork selector Ger O’Sullivan quoted by the Irish Examiner as saying: "It’s great that Colm is back in our plans but I’m not surprised that his comeback has gone well.
"He’s always been a guy who works very hard when it comes to football and that was shown again after his operation. When I was driving to work over the past number of months, I would regularly see him heading to the gym in Mallow to do a session at 8am.
"He’s a really focused individual."
O’Neill’s return is in particular a boost as fellow Leesiders forwards Daniel Goulding (ankle) and Ciaran Sheehan (cruciate) are not expected to be fit to play for their county until March and April respectively.