Injuries parked, Ross now writing his own Corkery and Nemo story

Standing idle and alone is young Ross Corkery. 

Polite introductions are exchanged. The press night debutant is happy to set up camp at a nearby table. He seeks no closed-off space away from local and foreign ears. 

The 22-year-old doesn’t give a damn for his thoughts being audible to all those who pass in and out by us.

Ross Corkery is the son of Nemo legend Colin. Possesses a wand of a left boot. Nemo top-scorer heading into Sunday’s Cork final.

From that, there are a myriad of conversation starters. All of the above are ignored until late into our chat. Ross’ story, you see, was for so long his continuous tale of woe and stalled potential.

This is his fifth campaign in and around Nemo’s flagship set-up. This is his first campaign where he’s been in a position to start - and has started - all championship outings to date.

Cork’s 2021 Munster minor opener was away to Waterford. Corkery started corner-forward. Late on in proceedings, he went up for a ball, got taken in the air, and was left with a lacerated kidney. A week in hospital ensued. He sat out the rest of the year.

“That was my first major injury. I was out for four months, got back from it, and went up to my first year of adult football in 2022,” Ross begins.

“Played the whole year, actually, and was very happy with myself. Got a lot of time with the intermediates, which is a big thing in the club. Got to tog the day of the senior county final win. After that, though, it just went downhill.” 

During Cork U20 training around Christmas of ‘22, ahead of the 2023 campaign, he tore the medial meniscus in his right knee. Three months sidelined. Returned in the nick of time for April’s Munster Championship.

His senior Nemo debut came off the bench in that summer’s second round against Éire Óg. His debut start was the final group outing against Carrigaline.

There was to be no more senior involvement in 2023. There was instead a Grade 4 hamstring tear and five months in the sickbay.

2024 went smooth sailing - for a distance. Featured in all four of Cork’s Munster U20 games. Started all three Nemo group games. Then another sniper. Osteitis pubis in the groin. Saw only the last 15 minutes of the decider defeat to Castlehaven.

“I ended up missing most of the 2025 league. Got back for a full match against Clon, but the following week, I tore the meniscus in my left knee. That kept me out all the way to the county final where I was used as a very brief blood sub.

“This is my first year where, touch wood, I've got through it. The ball is finally rolling for me.” 

The freedom is intoxicating. It’s not even a five-point haul against Castlehaven below in West Cork that lifts him. When you’re for so long cut off, it’s the simple stuff you crave.

“What I didn't actually realise is how much I enjoy training,” continued the quantity surveyor. “Just knowing you can train three times a week and not have your body react poorly to it. That’s been the most satisfying thing, just being able to train all the time and be with the lads all the time.

“All the time I was out, mam and dad would always say to me, 'Keep the faith, it'll turn eventually'. But there's times where you think, 'Jesus Christ, will this ever end'? And a lot of times I didn't think it would.

“You'd always hear about fellas where people would say, 'He would have been great if his knees stayed with him'. I felt I was going down that path. It's hard, but you have to block it out. You have to keep your inner circle, people who have belief you will get back. Because when they have belief in you, you start to have belief for yourself.” 

Dad is of course an integral member of that inner circle. Colin coached his son’s age group from 15 through 21. The teenage sponge repeatedly sought out dad for pearls of advice.

“He always keeps it precise, doesn't try to overcomplicate it. ‘Football is a simple game,’ he’d say, ‘If you play it right and play it well, it comes to you’.” In more recent times, Ross has noticed the approaches moving in the other direction.

“I find him coming to me a lot more than I go to him these days. He loves Nemo, obviously, and I feel like that's his way of keeping involved in the senior team. He loves asking how are we getting on training, how's this fella going, how's that fella going. He loves to give his ten pence as well!” 

Ross has long been aware of the weight carried by the Corkery surname. It has never burdened him or weighed heavy. He’s proud of the lineage he hails from and is belatedly continuing.

“When people hear you're a Corkery, the first thing they always ask is, ‘Is your father Colin’? I’m proud of that. I'm very proud of what my dad did back in the day. But it’s more so I’m proud to keep the name going for Nemo, rather than just keeping the name going.” 

The 2005 win over Muskerry was Colin’s last county final involvement. 

21 years later, the latest Corkery to pitch up in Nemo’s inside line will be looked to and leaned on. Plus ça change.