Promising signs for Cork in club form of rising Rebels

Charleville's Jack Doyle breaks away from Mallow's Paul Lyons during the Co-Op Stores Cork SAHC at KilbrinPicture: Eddie O'Hare

The flurry of games in the Cork senior hurling championship is accelerating the development of promising youngsters on Leeside who have caught the eye in underage campaigns in red and white. Cork have reached All-Ireland finals at minor and U21/20 level in recent years and the performances at club level of many of those players is an encouraging sign for the future.

1999 All-Ireland winner Seanie McGrath points to the younger cohort of players on view in Cork as the last round of group games looms on the horizon this weekend. “The Barrs have been bold and given Jack Cahalane and Ethan Twomey a run and they’ve held their own. The Glen have done the same with Luke Horgan, and Sars with Daniel Hogan.

“Ciaran Joyce is very young, but he had a good game for Castlemartyr against Milford at intermediate — he’s still a minor at club level — while Paul O’Riordan with Tracton is another good prospect.

“That has to be encouraging from a Cork point of view, to see youngsters of that age get a good run of games.” 

Sarsfields' manager Ray Ryan with Daniel Hogan and Ben Graham celebrate after defeating Midleton in the 2019 Cork under 21 premier 1 HC final at Pairc Ui Chaoimh yesterdayPicture: Eddie O'Hare

At a slightly older age there are others who have caught the eye, he adds.

“Around the U20 mark, Evan Sheehan has been doing well with Na Piarsaigh, a very good forward, and so is Shane Barrett — he was very good when he came on for UCC last weekend against Imokilly and he’s done well with his own club, Blarney, too.

“James Keating is like Barrett — he’s been doing well with UCC and with his own club, Kildorrery, and as a back I think that’s very important. He was good against a good, physical Imokilly side the other night.

“Sean O’Leary Hayes and Tommy O’Connell of Midleton are also in that group. So you’d say that in the minor bracket and the U20 bracket there’s a good bit of promise.” 

McGrath widens the net to look at other prospects also.

“We have a lot of good forwards in Cork but many of them are pretty similar physically, while someone like James Sweeney with Sarsfields gives you something different.

“He’s big, he’s hit seven points in a couple of championship games and he’d ask a different question of defenders.

Luke Horgan of Glen Rovers

“No matter what the grade, 2-6 is good shooting, and he got those scores against Bandon and Mallow, who are two good teams.

“So there are good minors, good U20s, and good prospects outside of that. UCC had 12 starters last weekend from Cork against Imokilly, and they brought on three more Cork lads.

“The likes of Shane Barrett, Mark Coleman, Owen McCarthy, who all played for UCC last weekend, are all doing well with their clubs also, so it must be promising from a Cork perspective.”