Sheedy starts for Cork, Kerry name seven seniors in U20 side for Munster opener

Dara Sheedy of Cork has a shot at goal. Pic: James Lawlor/Inpho

Cork senior footballer Dara Sheedy will lead the line for the Cork U20s in their Munster opener away to Clare (Quilty, 7pm) on Thursday.

The Bantry Blues youngster picked up a knock during Cork’s Division 2 League final defeat to Meath the weekend before last, but has recovered sufficiently to take his place at centre-forward on Ray Keane’s U20 side.

The starting Cork line-up contains five players, including Sheedy, that began last year’s Munster U20 final defeat to Kerry. The remaining quartet are goalkeeper Billy Curtin, midfielder and captain Darragh Clifford, half-back Seán Leary, and inside forward Danny Miskella.

Also named in the inside line, and making his first championship appearance in red since the 2023 All-Ireland minor quarter-final, is Seán Coakley. 

The Douglas talent has been plagued by injuries in recent years. The third member of the Cork full-forward line is Rickey Barrett, who featured heavily in the Barrs’ run to last season’s Munster club final.

Meanwhile Tomás Ó Sé’s Kerry U20 team to face Waterford on Wednesday evening (Lemybrien, 7pm) shows seven players that featured in last year’s All-Ireland semi-final defeat to Tyrone.

Gearóid Evans is at full-back for the second season in-a-row. In front of him at No.6 is Aodhna Ó Beaglaoich. Both midfielders, Killian Dennehy and Evan Boyle, are survivors from last year’s team, as are forwards Daniel Kirby and Paddy Lane of Austin Stacks.

Ronan Carroll, named at full-forward, was a starter for three of Kerry’s five U20 outings in 2025, coming on as a sub in the Tyrone defeat.

As was confirmed by Ó Sé last week, Kerry senior Tomás Kennedy will not tog for the U20s on Wednesday evening.

Cork (Munster U20 v Clare): B Curtin (Valley Rovers); F Hurley (O’Donovan Rossa), P Rose (Ballincollig), M Ahern (St Finbarr’s); S O’Leary (Kilmurry), C McCarthy (St Colum’s), O Foley (Bishopstown); D Clifford (Éire Óg), S Connolly (Ilen Rovers); M O’Brien (Ballinora), D Sheedy (Bantry Blues), G Holland (Bishopstown); S Coakley (Douglas), R Barrett (St Finbarr’s), D Miskella (Ballincollig).

Subs: J O’Flaherty (Douglas), H Wixted (Bishopstown), A Keane (Kinsale), T Kiely (Mallow), L Shorten (Tadhg MacCartaigh), L Murphy (Barryroe), B Corkery Delaney (Carrigaline), J O’Leary (Ballinascarthy), M Collins (Barryroe).

Kerry (v Waterford): K Robak (Dr Crokes); M Lynch (Milltown/Castlemaine), G Evans (Keel), D Mulvihill (Tarbert); S Ó Cúinn (An Ghaeltacht), A Ó Beaglaoich (An Ghaeltacht), P Walsh (Listowel Emmets); K Dennehy (Cordal), E Boyle (Ballyduff); D Kirby (Austin Stacks), M McKivergan (Ballymacelligott), J O’Sullivan (Kenmare Shamrocks); G White (John Mitchels), P Lane (Austin Stacks), R Carroll (Austin Stacks).

Subs: B Fitzsimons (Kenmare Shamrocks), D Stack (Kilcummin), I Brosnan (Castleisland Desmonds), M O’Carroll (Dr Crokes), P Finucane (Tarbert), R Sheridan (Duagh), B Kelliher (Dr Crokes), E O’Flaherty (Ardfert), J Joy (Ballymacelligott), A Byrne (Dr Crokes), M Horan (Scartaglen).

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