Cork minor manager Jamie Cronin picks squad ahead of Munster Championship 

NEW Cork minor manager Jamie Cronin and his squad are eager to hit the ground running ahead of the upcoming Munster Championship.

The Ballinora club man and Coláiste Choilm PE and Maths teacher has finalised his Cork minor squad ahead of an intense 2023 provincial campaign.

“Most of this year’s Cork minor panel already possess plenty of inter-county experience and a lot of these girls have played in big club and schools county championship matches as well,” Jamie Cronin stated.

“A good few of this year’s minors have experienced adult finals with their respective clubs over the last couple of months too.

“One of the main reasons I took on this Cork minor manager’s role was to give these girls the platform to, hopefully, go on and represent Cork at senior level. Each individual player’s talent is obvious but it is up to myself and the other mentors to get the best out of them as a group.

“You saw the impact some of the minors had on the Cork senior’s recent National League win over Mayo. That showed, when the time comes, why girls will be able to make the step up from minor to senior provided they work hard and we coach them as best we can.

We are trying to build on all the great coaching work that went before us and make is as seamless a process as possible for girls to move up to senior level.” 

Jamie Cronin and his fellow selectors, Tomás Sayers, Martin Day and Edel Heffernan, worked flat out over the Christmas and New Year period before a final panel was confirmed.

A talented pool of footballers drawn from all four Cork LGFA divisions contains plenty of inter-county minor and senior club experience. A busy period awaits but the new Cork minor manager is delighted with the progress made thus far.

“Our Cork minor trials began December 17 and ran right through until January 16,” Cronin added. “We cast our eyes over a huge amount of players during that time where everyone got multiple opportunities to show us what they could do.

“Honestly, the quality of footballers in Cork right now is phenomenal. That was immediately clear from the huge amount of club and school matches we went to watch as well as organising trials.

“Right now, everyone is building towards our first Munster championship game against Tipperary. That is on February 18 and the second game against Limerick is on February 25. So we are only a month away from the action kicking off.” 

The Cork minors are basing themselves in the Farm and Cloughduv for training sessions over the coming months. It is going to be a hectic period for manager, mentors and players.

“Yes, it is going to be a very busy couple of months and the girls will be busy with other commitments as well,” the Cork LGFA minor manager added.

“Everyone is knuckling down and getting stuck in which is great. Our ratio of games to training will be high over the coming weeks. That will give plenty opportunities for our players to compete for starting spots.

As hard as it was to pick a minor panel, it is going to be even harder to select a starting 15 for our opening Munster championship match.” 

Cork begin their provincial series at home to Tipperary on Saturday, February 18 before travelling to Limerick seven days later. Saturday, March 11 sees Waterford visiting Leeside prior to what should be a cracking encounter away to Kerry on Saturday, March 25.

The Rebels conclude their provincial round-robin matches with the visit of Clare on Saturday, April 8. Hopefully, Cork will have accrued enough points by that juncture to qualify for a Munster LGFA minor final on Saturday, April 22.

2023 Cork LGFA minor panel: 

Áine Hallihan (Lisgoold), Alice Buckley (St Val’s), Amy O’Riordan (Ballinora), Amy Sheppard (St Val’s), Amy McKennedy (Tadhg MacCarthaigh), Ava Fitzgerald (Glanmire), Ava Barry (Bride Rovers), Brianna Smith (Aghada), Caoimhe Richmond (Glanmire), Ciara Morrison (Bride Rovers), Deirdre Cronin (Mourneabbey), Eabha Curran (Nemo Rangers), Edel Sheehan (Éire Óg), Grace Cronin (Mourneabbey), Kate Williamson (Mourneabbey), Katie O’Driscoll (Clonakilty), Lainey O’Sullivan (Lisgoold), Laura Mahoney (St Peter’s), Leah Carey (Ilen Rovers), Lia Heffernan (Banteer), Lily Murray (Bride Rovers), Maebh Collins (Ilen Rovers), Millie Condon (Clonakilty), Molly Burke (Mourneabbey), Molly Murphy (Macroom), Niamh McNabola (St Val’s), Niamh O’Sullivan (Castlehaven), Órlaith Cremin (Éire Óg), Shauna Sheehan (Éire Óg), Síofra Pattwell (Clonakilty).