Quillinan warns Kerry minors not to take Cork for granted

Kerry face Cork in the Munster quarter-final on Monday evening.

Kerry manager Wayne Quillinan. Pic: Evan Treacy, Inpho

Kerry minor manager Wayne Quillinan, in his third year in charge, says Cork will face a much more balanced Kingdom outfit in their Munster championship showdown this evening. (Pairc Ui Rinn, 7pm)

“Every year takes a journey in itself," he says. "This year’s squad is way more balanced than the previous two years. You even see it in the selection and the areas. Whereas North Kerry would have been far more dominant in the last two years, this year I think the make-up is something like 19-15 between North Kerry and South Kerry.

“Where we don’t have huge superstars this year, we have a brilliant work ethic, a great work collective, guys that have really come together. The most important thing with minors is getting that cohesiveness.

“You have young fellas of 15-, 16-, 17-years of age who don’t have the true understanding of what a team is, particularly when they’re coming from different areas of the county. That’s the first thing. They’ve really come together and gelled."

The Kerry boss admits he's unsure what to expect from the hosts in Ballintemple. Asked what he knows about the Rebels, he says: “Not a whole pile, to be honest with you, but we’ll know all about them after next Monday night. It’s very hard to find out about a Cork minor team.

“Obviously there are a few names that you would have seen in schools’ football but, in the way that they play, their style of play, and all that, not a whole pile. A lot of what we do is 90 per cent focus on ourselves. If we can get what we’re about right, we’ll be in with a shot when the final whistle blows. That’s the way we’re looking at things."

When asked about his captain Gearóid White, one of three Kerry minor All-Stars of 2024 along with David Sargent and Ronan Sheridan, Quillinan cannot hide his admiration for his skipper. 

“Gearóid had that horrific injury with John Mitchels in the championship," he says. "Then he came back and would have played two challenge games with us, and he would have been training around three weeks in February.

“However, then he had osteitis pubis, and he’s been back now about three or four weeks, and fully fit. Obviously we have to manage his load, it’s a slow progression with him, so he’s back fully now and ready to go.

“It’s plain to see the talent, it’s exceptional, but Gearóid is an exceptional footballer, but an even better young fella. He’s so mature, he’s brilliant, and he’s an outstanding team-mate for all the boys.

KERRY MINORS: Ruairí Kennedy (Kerins O’Rahillys); Ronan Sheridan (Duagh), Eoghan Joy (Ballymacelligott), Tadhg Ó Slatara (Churchill); Danny Murphy (Listry), David Sargent (John Mitchells), Marcus Clifford (Firies); Maidhc Ó Sé (An Ghaeltacht), John Curtin (Ballyduff); Mark O’ Carroll (Dr Crokes), Gearóid White (John Mitchells), Kevin Griffin (St Michael’s Foilmore); Nick Lacey (Kerins O’Rahillys), Ben Kelliher (Dr Crokes); Tadhg O’Connell (Tarbert).

CORK MINORS: R Twohig (Kilmeen); B Coffey (Clonakilty), A Keane (Kinsale), M Kiernan (Carrigaline); J O’Leary (Ballinascarthy), C McCarthy (St Colum’s), B Cronin (Ballincollig); S Kelleher Leavy (Macroom), R Hayes (Carbery Rangers); N O’Callaghan (Castlehaven), D Flynn (Ibane Gaels), S O’Sullivan (Aghabullogue); P Murphy (Donoughmore), B Corkery Delaney (Carrigaline), E Aherne (Boherbue).