Keane content with Cork progression as Kerry task awaits

Keane did not go into great detail on the possible availability of Cork senior Dara Sheedy for the decider against Kerry.

Cork U20 football boss Ray Keane. Pic: Jim Coughlan.

Progress made. Recover and go again. 

That was the message from Cork U20 football boss Ray Keane after his side's 21-point win over Waterford to seal their place in the Dalata Hotel Group Munster U20FC final.

Keane's take on what's done and what's left to do was clear when speaking post-match in the bowels of Supervalu Páirc Uí Chaoimh. 

We’re progressing, simple as that,” Keane said. “I told the lads before the game I’d have taken a one-point win. There are tired bodies inside there now. 

"We’re trying to get right now for Kerry, it's all about recovery, and hopefully we can get one or two of the lads who are out back.

“In fairness to our medical team, they’ll do absolutely everything they can. You can see the lads are in great shape. We’ll go down to Kerry and see where it takes us.”

So Kerry lie in wait with the decider down for Tralee next Thursday evening, with the Rebels having already accounted for Tomás Ó Sé's Kingdom charges this campaign. 

For Cork, it's about getting their hands on some silverware at this grade. They haven't done so since 2021.

The "lads who are out" referenced by Keane is a list of course spearheaded by senior forward Dara Sheedy. The Bantry Blues man suffered a hamstring injury in that aforementioned win over Kerry. Trevor Kiely departed early that day too. 

In addition, wing-back Sean O'Leary did not reappear for the second-half on Wednesday night. 

“I don’t have any update, because I’ll be straight, I was concentrating on this game with Waterford, and that’s all that mattered," said of Sheedy's chances of running out at Austin Stack Park next week. 

“We’ll concentrate on Kerry now. If Dara’s ready, he’ll play. If he’s not, he won’t. That’s the way it is.

“But I would put my faith in the senior medical team and our own medical team that they’ll do their utmost to try and get him right. Look, if he’s ready for the final, it would be great.”

And to the forwards who were on the pitch for Cork. Thirty-three points scored, with Douglas' Seán Coakley leading the charge. His fellow attackers weren't far behind either. 

Cork's Seán Coakley shoots past Fergal O'Brien of Waterford. Pic: Jim Coughlan.

Coakley's prowess in front of goal has been well-documented but he has dealt with his fair share of injury trouble as well. 

Keane, however, is not overly bothered who tops the scoresheet. For the Éire Óg clubman, it's all down to the work ethic and application - the non-negotiables. 

“I don’t really care who scores. If we win a low-scoring game, I’m happy. Not everyone has to score, not everyone has to perform. If you do the simple things right, you’ll get into those positions.

“Seán Coakley has been out for an awful long time. Sometimes it takes a run of games. All of the players are doing everything they possibly can just to be ready to perform at this level. You must remember they’re humans at the end of it all.

“If you’re honest and you work hard enough, everything else will follow. We back them all to fulfil their potential. That’s the most important thing.”