Michael O'Brien on track to replace Bobbie O'Dwyer in Cork U20 football role

FORMER Cork minor manager Michael O'Brien is the leading candidate to take over the U20 football role.

O'Brien served as bainisteoir of the minors for two years. They lifted the Munster title in 2021 and '22, bridging a long gap to the previous provincial victory in 2010. 

Prior to that, O'Brien guided Ballincollig to a first senior football county in 2014 and remains heavily involved in his club.

Bobbie O'Dwyer departed the Cork U20 job last month after two years. O'Dwyer was also Cork minor manager for three seasons and while they didn't land a Munster crown in that period, they collected the All-Ireland in 2019 through the backdoor.

O'Brien is the obvious choice to move into the vacant U20 position though this year's minor manager Ray O'Mahony (Éire Óg) is also highly rated. O'Brien had a strong backroom team around him at minor, including Gary Sheehan, Martin O'Brien, Daniel Cronin and Donncha O'Connor.

With Keith Ricken at the helm, Cork were All-Ireland U20 champions in 2019 and also secured Munster honours two years later. Ricken was then promoted to the senior gig but was forced to step away due to health issues, with John Cleary replacing him.

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The St Vincent's club man is currently involved with the Cork U15s, which means he's on course to become minor manager in 2025.

The Cork County Board has gone with the succession approach in recent seasons, with management teams progressing with the players from development squads. 

It was the path followed by Ray O'Mahony and Kieran 'Fraggie' Murphy into minor this season and next year John Meyler will take charge of the hurlers and Carbery Rangers legend Micheál 'Haulie' O'Sullivan the footballers.
With Ricken working with the U15 footballers, 1999 All-Ireland-winning forward Fergal McCormack oversaw the Cork U15 hurling development squads this summer.

Cork cast the net wide in recent seasons to keep as many players in the development squads for as long as possible, entering multiple teams into competitions. 

They had four U14 panels lined up for the Tony Forristal last weekend, though the tragic passing of St Finbarr's dual player Jack O'Sullivan saw the city squad withdraw as a mark of respect. Three of the 12 teams in the U16 equivalent were from Cork, more than any other county.

A decision will be made in the coming months about whether minor at club level will revert to U18 but inter-county will remain U17. That change was made for the 2018 season and all counties were then forced to reduce their club competitions from U18 to U21 in 2021.

Many would like to see minor restored to U18 for clubs as a new U19 grade didn't work, however such a move would including decoupling from senior, which would prevent players turning 18 that year from lining out at adult level.