Munster target Ben O'Connor named to start at centre-back for Cork U20 hurlers 

BURGEONING TALENT: Ben O'Connor of Presentation Brothers College is tackled by Conor Foley of Christian Brothers College. Pic: Matt Browne/Sportsfile

The good news for Cork hurling is that young Ben O’Connor will make his first appearance of the year for the county’s U20 side in Friday’s Munster championship game away to Limerick. 

The not so good news for Cork hurling is that indications are that O’Connor will join the Munster Rugby Academy later this year, bringing the curtain down on his burgeoning GAA career.

In the battle to secure the playing services of the talented Cork city teenager, Munster Rugby appear to have taken the verdict.

All involved in Cork GAA knew the day would come when O’Connor would have to make a decision on his long-term rugby future, and if an academy contract offer from Munster was put on the table, did he want to step onto the province’s pathway system and give himself a chance to climb the professional ladder.

Cork’s loss looks set to be Munster’s appreciable gain.

O’Connor’s rugby ability has been plain to see for anyone following Munster’s premier schools competition these past two seasons.

In Pres’ come-from-behind Senior Cup semi-final win over city rivals Christians last year, two sideline conversions from O’Connor late on, either side of his last-minute try, were the decisive scores.

Donal Lenihan, on co-commentary duty for the Irish Examiner’s live streaming of the game, remarked that “you just get the impression from this guy that he thrives on clutch kicks”.

PBC were well beaten in the subsequent decider, but O’Connor secured his Munster schools medal earlier this year as Christians were routed 24-0.

In the semi-final victory over Munchin’s, the full-back scored a try and kicked five conversions in the first half alone before coming up with a game saving tryline turnover at the death.

“Ben’s a special talent,” said Pres boss Ger Burke after that semi-final. “He’s just a guy you want on a big occasion.” His talent on the GAA field is equally precocious. The St Finbarr’s clubman was at centre-back on the 2021 Cork minor team that romped to the county’s first All-Ireland title in 20 years. His physical stature belied the competition’s U17 age grade.

He graduated to the Cork U20 team last season, but it was at club level where his continued development marked him out as a future Cork senior.

O’Connor and Ethan Twomey’s midfield partnership was central to the Barrs ending their 29-year wait for a county senior hurling title. Even in the subsequent Munster club semi-final defeat to Ballyea, O’Connor was one of the game’s outstanding performers.

While his GAA involvement in 2023 has been limited because of rugby commitments with PBC and the Ireland U19s, it is understood he did attend a Cork senior hurling training session during the spring.

O’Connor’s leaning towards rugby takes him down the same path as Patrick Campbell, formerly of Nemo Rangers. The 2019 All-Ireland minor winning Cork footballer joined the Munster Academy in 2021 and made a try-scoring Champions Cup debut against Wasps a month later.

Another example is Shane Jennings of Galway. The Ballinasloe native was full-back on the county’s 2018 All-Ireland minor winning hurling team. He subsequently opted for the oval ball and made his Connacht senior debut earlier this year.

O’Connor’s naming at centre-back for Cork’s final Munster U20 round-robin game away to Limerick (TUS Gaelic Grounds, 7.30pm) will be his first bit of action in a Cork jersey this year. But the sorry reality from a Cork hurling perspective is that this U20 campaign will likely be his last in the Cork shirt.

CORK (v Limerick): B Saunderson (Midleton); M Howell (Douglas), S Kingston (Ballinora), D O’Sullivan (Ballinhassig); J Dwyer (Ballincollig), B O’Connor (St Finbarr’s), M Mullins (Whitechurch); T O’Connell (Ballincollig), C Tobin (Bride Rovers); W Buckley (St Finbarr’s), B Cunningham (St Finbarr’s), D Healy (Lisgoold); A O’Sullivan (Ballinhassig), C Walsh (Kanturk), D Cremin (Midleton).

Subs: P O’Sullivan (Fr O’Neills), C Smyth (Midleton), T Wilk (Cobh), C Doolan (St Finbarr’s), M Finn (Midleton), R O’Sullivan (Na Piarsaigh), D McSweeney (Blarney), B Keating (Ballincollig), B Nyhan (Clyda Rovers).