Seán Óg Ó hAilpín to take up role with Cork U16s under Kieran Murphy

Seán Óg Ó hAilpín is set to be part of Kieran Murphy’s Cork U16 management set-up for 2022. However, recent reports linking one their former Cork colleagues, Ben O’Connor, with a move to Limerick’s South Liberties are not true.

Ó hAilpín along with Martin Coleman and Niall O’Halloran have been recruited by Murphy for roles with the U16 side, with the hope being that the management and players would then move up to minor level together for 2023.

This has been the recent practice in Cork, with Noel Furlong guiding the county to a first All-Ireland at the grade in 20 years last year after being appointed as U16 boss in October 2019. He was followed by Paudie Murray, who will be on the sideline for the minors in the coming year, and the expectation is that Murphy will continue that pattern.

Ó hAilpín has previous experience of being involved with his club side Na Piarsaigh, while he was also a minor selector, along with Tom Kenny, under the management of Dónal Óg Cusack in 2020.

Ballinhassig native O’Halloran led Éire Óg to the 2020 Co-op SuperStores Cork IAHC title while he was also in charge of Bandon when they won the 2016 county PIHC to move up to senior level for the first time in more than three decades. His club colleague Coleman, a former Cork goalkeeper, cut his teeth with involvement with Ballinhassig underage and adult teams while he has also worked as a full-time GDA (games development administrator) with Cork County Board.

However, one appointment that will not be happening is that of Ben O’Connor with Limerick club South Liberties.

In the wake of the Newtownshandrum native’s departure from Midleton after helping the Magpies win a first county senior hurling title in eight years, there was speculation that the 2004 All-Ireland-winning captain was bound for Shannonside but those rumours were unfounded.