Tipperary football champions are keeping their fingers crossed for Jack Kennedy

Clonmel Commercials are hopeful that Jack Kennedy will be available for Sunday’s AIB Munster Club Senior Football Championship quarter-final against newly-crowned Limerick champions Newcastle West at FBD Semple Stadium (1.30).

The Tipperary player and last year’s Annerville award winner missed Commercials’ county final win over JK Brackens almost three weeks ago with a calf muscle injury.

Commercials manager Tommy Morrissey said earlier this week, “Jack has been doing all his recovery and rehab. We’ll be training midweek and that will tell a lot.

“We’re hopeful Jack will be available”.

Apart from Kennedy, who is one of three brothers in the team, the 2015 Munster champions have a clean bill of health for a game against the side that ended their provincial title aspirations at the semi-final stage last year, after extra time, at the same venue.

“It was important that we were injury-free after the county final and that any niggles were treated,” says Morrissey.

“We’re all in good fettle. We got a few days to relax bodies and minds after the county final, and that healing time allowed lads to recover.

“We’re happy to have a healthy panel and it’s important to be fresh and ready for Sunday”.

In preparation for this weekend’s tie, Commercials travelled to Dublin on Tuesday of last week to play Crossmaglen Rangers in a challenge.

Oisín McConville, the six-time All-Ireland club football winner with Crossmaglen Rangers, and current Wicklow senior manager, has been acting as an advisor to the Clonmel club this season.

“It was a good competitive game, very beneficial,” says the Commercials manager.

“It gave us a chance to use the squad, including lads who hadn’t got game time in the last few weeks. It allowed them a chance to put their hands up”.

Commercials’ 6-7 to 2-6 win over JK Brackens in the county final was a record-equalling success, as they drew level with Fethard as the club with the most senior titles (21) in the county.

However, new horizons are now beckoning for the players, management and supporters.

Newcastle West, who beat Adare in last Sunday’s Limerick final to complete a three in a row in the county, are familiar opponents. The Clonmel team beat them en route to winning the provincial crown eight years ago, but last year the Limerick side turned the tables with a 1-16 to 1-11 semi-final victory in Thurles.

“It’s just about this year,” says Morrissey. “We won’t be concentrating on what has gone before, it’s just about what’s in front of us this week”.