Cork in limbo as shirt sponsor hunt goes on

Cork chairman Bob Ryan admits he doesn’t know if the county will tie up a new sponsor before the start of next month’s National Leagues.

It is more than 10 weeks since O2 announced its decision to step down as county sponsors, although the board had been made aware of the telecommunications company’s decision last February.

Football boss Conor Counihan and hurling supremo Jimmy Barry-Murphy’s teams have been wearing the old O2 jersey over the last couple of weekends. Asked if a new backer might be in place before Cork’s footballers open the defence of their Division 1 crown against Dublin on February 2, Ryan admitted: “I don’t know. Talks are still ongoing and once they are finalised there will be an announcement.”