Seánie McGrath: Ben O’Connor faces big Cork selection calls as 2026 planning begins
Jack O'Connor (left) has shown for Sarsfields this season that when he's in the zone, he's a player that Cork need. Pic: ©INPHO/Tom Maher
Local matters wrapped, the conversation doesn’t hang about in turning back to Cork and towards 2026.
Whispers of fellas called in, curiosity to find out who is traveling in the other direction. The Cork hurling appetite sustains, even as we head into the quieter months.
Ben O’Connor will have his own preferences. The pecking order of the outgoing management will be rewritten. The extent of that change is what we are all eager to learn. It might be subtle, might be significant.
In assessing Cork prospects, irrespective of whether they were in or outside the red tent in recent years, Sars and their main actor has earned the right to be dealt with first.
Sars amaze me because if I go back to my own time with Glen Rovers, the dominant forces locally were Imokilly, Newtownshandrum, and Blackrock. All three were splattered with prominent Cork players.
For Imokilly, you had Sullivan, Cusack, Landers, and McCarthy. O’Connor, Mulcahy, and Morrissey were the Newtownshandrum innovators. Blackrock were built around Sherlock, Ryan, and Browne. Each name synonymous with Cork.
But going through this Sars team, the sole Cork player of note is Jack O’Connor. And so you really have to give massive credit to Johnny Crowley for what he has created and what he is squeezing out of the collective.
The majority of other club teams to reach the knockout stages are far more dependent on their county men, whereas Sars, who only have the one, are this rounded entity so wired into their style of play that they are incredibly difficult to counter and overcome.
The way I look at Jack O’Connor is that he can be whoever he wants to be on the inter-county stage, if he gets his head right. All the hurling components are there, particularly his pace and elusiveness.
When he’s in the zone, as he has been for Sars right throughout the championship, there’s a player in there that Cork need. And such is his versatility, Ben could use him either inside or in the half-forward line.
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When Ben goes back over Jack’s club portfolio, bar the Glen Rovers group game where he didn’t start because of a knock, he’s been so impressive and so consistent. You can’t argue with 1-27 from play across five games, especially when you’re the most marked man on the field.
On that basis, Jack has to be in for serious consideration, not just to retain his panel place, but for a starting spot. He can be as good as he wants to be, but he’s the sort of fella that it has to come from himself. He has to transfer across the consistency and confidence he now exudes in blue.
Looking through the Midleton line-up, Eoin Moloney was in pole position for a call-up before misfortune visited the full-back. Ciarmhac Smyth did reasonably well in that same Midleton full-back line on Sunday. Mikey Finn, at times over the past three months, caught the eye out around midfield.
Their centre-back, Tommy O’Connell, I’ve been surprised for a while now as to why he didn’t get more gametime for Cork in the ‘25 championship. His five appearances were all off the bench. Outstanding on the run to the county final and good in the final itself, he’s someone who should definitely be seeing greater involvement next year.
Staying with Sunday’s double-header, Ballinhassig centre-back Darragh O’Sullivan was leadership exemplified. If there are questions over his size and pace, the other side to that is his strength and how unbelievable a reader of the game he is.
Would love to see him get a couple of league games at corner-back and see how he adapts. In Darragh’s favour is that he has already delivered for Ben at U20 level.
Cillian Tobin and the Roche brothers, Brian and Eoin, have been to the fore in all that is positive happening in Bride Rovers. Brian, the same as Jack O’Connor at Premier Senior, has been the outstanding performer in the Senior A grade. The 4-15 from play that has him sitting atop the scoring chart backs up our statement. Their last audition of the year in club colours has been delayed to this Saturday.
Midfielder Micheál Mullins showed flashes for the Glen. Out in the Barrs, I've always had a soft spot for William Buckley. Had an in and out club campaign, but he’s different and bucks the trend of your typical inter-county stature, so I’m interested to know how he would cope stepping up. The same as his old U20 colleague Darragh O’Sullivan, definitely worth a look at springtime.
Another U20 Ben has worked with, Barry Walsh, is robust, direct, and with a brilliant eye for goal. In the same grade, and even though he didn’t have an outstanding championship for Dungourney, I’m an admirer of Jack Leahy. Ben knows him well, so he too may be afforded an invitation and an opportunity.
The Watergrasshill pair of Dáire O’Leary and Seán Desmond are two fellas we mentioned this time last year and I don’t believe the door has closed on their Cork chance.
Additions can only happen in the squad when there are subtractions. We've already had a big-name retirement. Will there be one or two more?
There certainly will be a couple of disappointed heads over the next while, with Ben's necessity to shake up the panel.
People outside the set-up sometimes believe that a household name getting the chop will negatively affect the dressing-room. Players, though, can be so selfish. Once a fella is part of the panel, he doesn't care who’s missing. Each player being in there and knowing they are in Ben’s thoughts will create its own right atmosphere from the off.
Following the conclusion of a county championship not shy on entertainment, albeit much lighter on quality, the make-up of that 30-odd Cork panel is now where the conversation wanders.
