Students applying for science and maths degrees may have needed higher CAO points than last year, but there were no obstacles for incoming University College Cork students Conor Durkan and Paul Ryan.

While the sporting rivalry between Cork and Kerry is well-known, the academic stakes were also raised between the two counties yesterday.

One of the top three students in this year’s Leaving Certificate is hoping for a career at Nasa, the Cern physics research centre or, failing that, in a band.