Cats blow as Buckley and Maher to miss round-robin series of Championship

KILKENNY boss Brian Cody has been hit with a double blow ahead of the Leinster Senior Hurling Championship, with Cillian Buckley and James Maher set to miss the entire round-robin series.

Buckley sat out this year’s league campaign and hasn’t featured for the Cats since last year’s All-Ireland quarter-final defeat to Limerick because of a persistent knee injury.

The Dicksboro defender rested the injury over the Winter, but had to undergo surgery earlier this year.

Meanwhile, St Lachtain’s Maher has a long road to recovery ahead after he broke his leg in training on Tuesday night.