Ben O'Connor not part of Cork U20 hurling panel for opener against Waterford

The talented Barrs teenager won a Munster Schools Rugby Senior Cup with PBC two weeks ago and was part of the Ireland U19 rugby squad that defeated Japan the weekend before last

MULTI-TALENTED: St Finbarr's Ben O'Connor will not be part of the Cork U20 panel for their Munster championship opener. Pic: David Keane

Ben O’Connor will not be part of the Cork U20 hurling panel for Wednesday’s Munster U20 championship opener against Waterford.

Cork U20 manager Ben O’Connor said he is hopeful of having his namesake involved later in the campaign.

The talented Barrs teenager won a Munster Schools Rugby Senior Cup with PBC two weeks ago and was part of the Ireland U19 rugby squad that defeated Japan in an U19 international the weekend just gone.

Whether or not O’Connor is selected on the Irish U19 rugby squad for two upcoming internationals against France over the Easter period will determine his involvement with the Cork U20s next month.

O’Connor was at centre-back on the Cork minor team that won the All-Ireland MHC in 2021 and lined out at right half-back on last year’s Cork U20 team beaten at the Minster semi-final stage.

“We are hoping to have him down the road,” said Cork U20 boss O’Connor. “He came out to training the other night, we had a chat with him. Everything is good at the moment. If possible, he’d love to get in and get involved with us.” The Waterford team is unchanged from the side that lost to Limerick at the weekend. The Cork team is being named on Tuesday.

WATERFORD (v Cork): C Troy (Ballygunner); J Power (Modeligo), C Cantwell (Ballygunner), A O’Neill (Ballygunner); J Booth (Colligan), M Fitzgerald (Passage), M Mullaney (Stradbally); J Fitzgerald (Clashmore/Kinsalebeg), W Beresford (Abbeyside); L Ó Siothcháin (An Rinn), C Keane (De La Salle), T O’Connell (Brickey Rangers); P Fitzgerald (Ballygunner), C Treen (Abbeyside), J Twomey (De La Salle).