O’Neill backs youngsters to step up to plate

NEW Cork hurling captain Shane O’Neill insists there’s sufficient young talent in the county to fill the vacancy left by Sean Óg Ó hAilpín.

The 33-year-old won’t be lining out for Cork in 2011 after his 15-year inter-county career came to an end in October.

“There’s no doubt that any team would miss a guy like Sean Óg because he’s been one of Cork’s best players since he started out in 1996,” said O’Neill, who was recently handed the captain’s armband by manager Denis Walsh.