Cork football's most searching question — 'Can we make another step?'

FORLORN AND FAMILIAR: Daniel O'Mahony of Cork after his side's loss in the GAA Football All-Ireland Senior Championship Round 2 match between Cork and Kerry at SuperValu Páirc Uí Chaoimh in Cork. Photo by David Fitzgerald/Sportsfile

“Can we make another step?” 

The above words of John Cleary are both the target and the theme of Cork football’s 2026 season.

Can Cork climb back into Division 1 after 10 years away? Can Cork bridge the yawning gap to the county’s last Munster success in 2012? Can Cork return to the last eight of Sam Maguire?

Mid-table Division 2 finishes, close shouts with Kerry, and preliminary quarter-final exits have become the county’s predictable lot in recent years.

The challenge, so, is to go a step beyond in 2026. Tangible progress, be that spring promotion or summer prizes.

Let’s start with the League. Cleary’s three years at the helm have delivered back-to-back fourth place finishes and this year’s final position of fifth.

Elevating themselves into a promotion berth appears a difficult ask when you consider Cork are on the road to Louth, Offaly, Derry, and Tyrone in Rounds 2,3,5, and 7 respectively.

“Sure naturally enough, we would love to be in Division 1. That is the aim every year you go out, without a doubt. But it is a tough division,” Cleary began.

“Even this year, we'll be playing teams from the All-Ireland semi-final, we're playing the Leinster champions, you're playing Derry. Every team in the division can beat each other.

“Our plan is to try and get up from that, but it is not a given either. The draw this year hasn't been that kind to us as regards travel. People say you shouldn't be in Division 2, but I would say we have got to go out and do it, and prove it, and win the games to do that. If we play very well, we have a chance, but we know it is very competitive.” 

Ultimately, though, and as Cleary knows, it is summer fare where they’ll be judged. The Munster draw has been kind. Unlike the past two years, Cork are not on a semi-final collision course with champions Kerry. The provincial decider is the earliest at which they can cross paths. It is 2021 since last Cork football’s flagship side contested a final in either spring or summer.

“The championship gives us an opportunity to get to a final this year without having to play Kerry before that. That's a long way down on the horizon yet. No doubt, we'd love to win a Munster final but you're up against the All-Ireland champions in our province. But our idea is, look, can we make another step?

“The system will be different this year and a lot will be about, first of all, trying to get into the Munster final because that's not a given.” 

There are two new voices in Cleary’s backroom team to assist with this collective goal of rising a step. Kevin Murray has joined as selector, while Rathcormac native Shayne Murphy, who is lead sports scientist to the World Cup-qualified Scottish football team, has been enlisted as performance director.

In working with management and players, Murphy’s role will be to provide “little edges” throughout the season.

“He's been involved with the City Group, Manchester City, and with the Scottish national team. Through a contact, we just contacted him to see if he would come and talk to us," explained Cleary.

“He won’t be there every night. His job really is to give us advice on best practice, how professional teams deal with players, deal with backrooms, deal with setting up various things like video analysis, how they work, and what we can take out of it.

“Basically, we'll be tapping into his experience and his know-how and his expertise. He'll also have a look at our overall situation and advise us on what he thinks is right. Hopefully we'll get a lot from him.” 

On the playing field, the outstanding new voice is more a returning one. Fresh from his sensational 0-16 Munster Club final display for the Barrs, which included six two-pointers, Steven Sherlock is back in red after a season away of his own choosing.

“Last year he made his decision, and people were looking for ulterior motives or angles all the time. I was straight up when I said that when he came to me, we had a great chat, and he said he just wanted to [step away for the year].

“When we had the chat there a couple of months ago, there was no persuading or anything. He just wanted to come back and play for Cork and that was it. His form has been top-class and we're delighted to have him back.” 

No captain has yet been selected for 2026, with confirmation also that Briain Murphy of Nemo and Castlehaven’s Cathal Maguire have departed the panel.