No decision on future of Cork football project co-ordinator role

Conor Counihan with Seanie McGrath, Kevin O'Donovan and Marc Sheehan

The role of Cork football project co-ordinator has not been raised or discussed at county board executive level, and so no decision has been taken as to whether that role will continue into 2025 or who will hold it.

The project co-ordinator position originated from the 2019-24 Cork football five-year plan and has been held by the county’s 2010 All-Ireland winning manager Conor Counihan since May, 2019.

The Echo recently reported that Counihan is set to vacate the post in September, but when the Irish Examiner contacted Cork GAA to find out if the role will be continued beyond the timeframe of the five-year plan, county board chairman Pat Horgan said he was “not aware” of the executive receiving any notice from Counihan that he intends to vacate the position in September.

“It hasn’t been discussed at executive level,” Horgan said of the project co-ordinator post.

The role, as set out in the original plan five years ago, was responsible for driving the implementation of many elements of the plan and to act as the conduit between clubs, schools, and county teams. It was also hoped that the project co-ordinator would help build a synergised approach to how Cork teams play and to ensure that academy squad players be exposed to an age-appropriate curriculum.

With all Cork football teams having exited their respective championships in year five of the plan, the Irish Examiner asked if a full review of the plan, and what it achieved, will now be carried out.

Horgan’s reply was that the executive carries out an annual review with the respective Cork management teams.

“Each year we do a review with all the managers. I have no doubt that all matters relating to football will be discussed when we sit down with various football managers.

“The plan is separate to the yearly ones, but at the same time, there is a link between them obviously.” Elsewhere, should Cork reach the All-Ireland hurling final on July 21, and with the Cork Premier SFC first-round games fixed for the Friday after, July 26, club dual players such as Damien Cahalane, Brian Hayes, and Luke Meade would have to line out for their respective clubs five days after the hurling decider.

Horgan said Cork’s fixture-making body had “no plans to make adjustments at the moment” to first-round dates.