Colm Spillane, the Cork defender, has been ruled out for the rest of the season after suffering a cruciate knee injury.

Spillane suffered the injury, confirmed by a MRI scan the Castlelyons clubman underwent on Monday, in Saturday’s Allianz Hurling League Division IA defeat to Waterford.

The 22-year-old was forced off in the 46th minute of the game at Páirc Uí Rinn, having lined out at full-back and performed an excellent man-marking job on Maurice Shanahan.

Spillane, who was recalled to the Cork squad by new manager Kieran Kingston this year, is expected to be out of action for at least nine months.