Exams come first for Sweetnam

The Cork senior hurling management are determined to allow teenage hurling star Darren Sweetnam to prioritise his studies for his Leaving Cert despite the Rebels’ Munster championship opener on June 24 occurring just days after the Dohenys player completes his exams.

Cork are slated to face either Tipperary or Limerick at the semi-final stage at the end of June, and may have to plan without Sweetnam, who has impressed in his first campaign at senior level when featuring in their recent Division 1A league victories over Waterford and Dublin.

Sweetnam, a student in Bandon Grammar, is following in the footsteps of team-mate Conor Lehane and Limerick’s Declan Hannon who both combined senior inter-county hurling and their Leaving Cert in 2011. In both cases last year, former Cork boss Denis Walsh and former Limerick manager Donal O’Grady both opted to plan without the players as their respective Munster SHC ties occurred during the Leaving Cert.