Ray Keane insists Cork U20s have belief to topple Kerry once more

Rebels boss Keane insists there won't necessarily be a repeat dose of how their last meeting was played out, with both outfits having fixes to address.

KEANE FOR A REPEAT: Cork U20 football boss Ray Keane. Pic: Jim Coughlan.

Cork boss Ray Keane has challenged his Cork U20s to step up to the challenge of 'a totally different ball game' when they travel to Tralee for their Munster final date with Kerry on Thursday night (throw-in, 7pm).

Cork have been building admirably towards this Austin Stack Park meeting with Kerry; a point was garnered out of the opening clash with Clare before Keane's men took care of both the Kingdom - by the minimum - and Waterford at Supervalu Páirc Uí Chaoimh.

That win over Kerry was their first since 2021, the last time a Rebel football outfit lifted silverware at this grade.

For Keane, the instruction is clear: There's no reason Cork should fear facing Kerry. Nor should there be a reason those wearing red shouldn't expect to beat those wearing green and gold. 

He believes his charges are on the right side of that particular mental obstacle. 

"There's no reason any of these lads shouldn't expect to be Kerry every day they go out on the field," Keane said. "And that's the reality of it. 

"Other people can say what they want about it, but these fellas will believe it. 

"We'll just see where it takes us. We'll go down, we'll give it a shot and as long as we're at it, we won't be too far away."

Keane, while that Páirc victory over Tomás Ó Sé's charges is not completely irrelevant heading into the decider, insists there won't necessarily be a repeat dose of how their last meeting was played out, with both outfits having fixes to address.

“It’s a totally different ball game,” Keane said.

“We are where we wanted to be. This is the minimum I would expect us to be at. Yeah, we won the last time we played them, but it’s going to be a totally different game. They’ll feel they weren’t at it a couple of weeks ago. We’ll feel we have certain areas we need to go at.” 

The Cork starting 15 shows three changes from the one that dispatched Waterford at their ease, with Aaron Keane, Harry Wixted and Ben O'Connell all getting the nod.

Wixted comes into the full-back line in place of Matthew Ahern, while Kinsale's Aaron Keane starts instead of the injured Sean O'Leary. 

While Trevor Kiely and senior star Dara Sheedy remain out, Ballincollig's Ben O'Connell - younger brother of AFL player Liam - is fit enough to feature for the first time this campaign. 

Cork: B Curtin (Valley Rovers); F Hurley (O’Donovan Rossa), P Rose (Ballincollig), H Wixted (Bishopstown); A Keane (Kinsale), C McCarthy (St Colum’s), O Foley (Bishopstown); D Clifford (Éire Óg), M O’Brien (Ballinora); B O’Connell (Ballincollig), D Miskella (Ballincollig), G Holland (Bishopstown); S Coakley (Douglas), R Barrett (St Finbarr’s), D O’Neill (Carbery Rangers). 

Subs: J O’Flaherty (Douglas), M Ahern (St Finbarr’s), A Dineen (Cill na Martra), D O’Mullane (Kilmurry), L Shorten (Tadhg MacCarthaigh), L Murphy (Barryroe), S Connolly (Ilen Rovers), G Daly (Mallow), T Cullinane (Carbery Rangers).

Kerry: K Robak (Dr Crokes); M Lynch (Milltown/Castlemaine), G Evans (Keel), I Brosnan (Castleisland Desmonds); E O’Flaherty (Ardfert), A Ó Beaglaoich (An Ghaeltacht), P Walsh (Listowel Emmets); D Kirby (Austin Stacks), E Boyle (Ballyduff); J O’Sullivan (Kenmare Shamrocks), M McKivergan (Ballymacelligott), R Carroll (Austin Stacks); G White (John Mitchels), T Kennedy (Kerins O’Rahillys), P Lane (Austin Stacks). 

Subs: B Fitzsimons (Kenmare Shamrocks), D Stack (Kilcummin), K Dennehy (Cordal), M O’Carroll (Dr Crokes), J Joy (Ballymacelligott), A Byrne (Dr Crokes), B Kelliher (Dr Crokes), R Sheridan (Duagh), A Tuohy (Austin Stacks), D Sargent (John Mitchels), J Curtin (Ballyduff).

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