Sars' Jack O'Connor not part of Cork's hurling league panel

Cork hurling manager Ben O'Connor has trimmed his panel from 47 players to 36 but says he and his management team have an "open policy"

Jack O'Connor was one of the standout players for Sarsfields in their run to the 2025 Cork Premier SHC title but has missed out on selection for the 36-man group. Pic: ©INPHO/Leah Scholes

Forward Jack O’Connor is not part of Cork’s 36-man hurling league squad, the Irish Examiner understands.

New manager Ben O’Connor’s 36-man panel for the upcoming league campaign is to be announced this Tuesday morning and word is that the list does not include the Sars clubman.

27-year-old O’Connor played all of Cork’s Munster SHL opener away to Limerick, and while he also started their second pre-season outing against Clare, that was a game where he was replaced at half-time.

O’Connor, who scored a point off the bench in last year’s All-Ireland semi-final win over Dublin but subsequently failed to make the 26-man matchday panel for the decider defeat to Tipp, was one of the standout performers during the 2025 local championship.

On the run in to Sars’ second county success in three years, he struck five from play in the quarter-final, four in the semi-final, and five again on the final afternoon.

Ben O’Connor, speaking on Monday night, insisted that the door is not closed to any player who did not make the 36-man league panel.

“From day one, any fella that was asked in at the start, and we started with 47 and have it cut now, it's an open policy,” said the Cork hurling manager.

“If a fella picks up an injury in three weeks' time and he is injured for six weeks, well there is a good chance he is not around for championship, so what is the point of having a fella inside.

“Every fella knows that we'll be moving fellas on [if there is a] dip in form, you have to keep fellas on their toes, so all them fellas know there is a chance they could be called back in again. I think that is fair on everyone. Them fellas get a chance to get back in and the fellas inside, if they are not performing, they'll just have to step aside.” 

Cork begin the defence of their Division 1 League crown at home to Waterford this Sunday (Páirc Uí Chaoimh, 3.45pm). O’Connor confirmed there are injury doubts surrounding Séamus Harnedy, Micheál Mullins, and Ben Cunningham.

Pádraig Power, who has been on the injury list for close to a year, is due back in Cork training this week. The Blarney forward scored 1-4 during the county's opening league win of 2025 away to Wexford but never got the opportunity to develop on this form as he suffered a torn cruciate in Cork's next outing against Limerick.

“He's nearly been out for 12 months at this stage. Paudie will be back into training with the full panel on Tuesday night, and he'll gradually build up then after that and get back to match fitness. But we'd hope to see Paudie before the league is out,” O’Connor remarked.

On the choice of midfielder Darragh Fitzgibbon as captain, the manager said the title is little more than an honour.

“He's been an All-Star for the last two years and he's one of the more experienced fellas now at this stage. He's 28 years of age and he's in his prime. Any one of them could have been picked, but we just said we'd go with Darragh.

“We gave him the honour of it and that's all it is - an honour. At the end of the day, what does he have to do? He has to go in and do the same as every other fella. He'll be a bit more busy with [the media] and a few bits and pieces. But other than that, all he has to do is go in and perform.”