Eight of last year's stars available as Cork U20 hurling squad is named

Eight of the team that started last year’s oneills.com All-Ireland hurling final win are included in the Cork U20 panel for the coming year.

Manager Ben O’Connor has named a 36-man squad for the campaign, which begins with away to Waterford on April 5.

Captain Darragh O’Sullivan from Ballinhassig, vice-captain James Dwyer of Ballincollig were both part of the defence that helped Cork to a third All-Ireland in four years at the grade while Tadhg O’Connell, William Buckley, Diarmuid Healy, Ross O’Sullivan, Jack Leahy and David Cremin were all in the starting 15 in the win over Offaly in Thurles. In addition, Eoin O’Leary and Adam O’Sullivan (brother of Darragh) came on that day.

Three years ago, Cork won the minor title and, of the team that beat Galway in that All-Ireland final, 13 are still present. Noel Furlong’s side ended Cork’s 21 year wait for the Irish Press Cup in emphatic fashion, winning all five of their matches by double-digit margins and having nine players on the team of the year – goalkeeper Paudie O’Sullivan, Darragh O’Sullivan, Kevin Lyons, Ben O’Connor (now a professional rugby player with Munster), Timmy Wilk, Mikey Finn, William Buckley, Diarmuid Healy and Jack Leahy.

O’Connor and his selectors – Ger O’Regan, Ronan Curran, Terence McCarthy and William Biggane – have also included seven of the team that reached the Electric Ireland All-Ireland minor semi-finals last year. Killeagh cousins Ben and Barry Walsh, Johnny Galvin, David O’Leary, Jayden Casey, Barry O’Flynn and Ronan Dooley are the players who are now in the under-18 bracket.

Friday night is when the provincial fixtures will take this year. After the opening against the Déise in Fraher Field, Cork host Clare at SuperValu Páirc Uí Chaoimh a week later.

The third round of fixtures is split over two weeks so Cork have a gap of a fortnight until Friday, April 26, when Limerick visit Leeside, and they round off their schedule with a trip to FBD Semple Stadium to take on Tipperary on May 3. Cork’s bye round is the last set of fixtures on May 10.

At the end of the round-robin stage, the group-toppers will progress straight to the Munster final with the side finishing in second place taking on the team in third in the single semi-final.

Cork U20 hurling panel: Paudie O’Sullivan (Fr O’Neills), Daniel O’Connell (Dromina), Shane Coughlan (Fermoy), Kevin Lyons (Ballygarvan), Darragh O’Sullivan (Ballinhassig), James O’Brien (Fermoy), Rory Troy (Newtownshandrum), Ollie McAdoo (Blackrock), Denis Cashman (Bride Rovers), David O’Leary (Ballincollig), Timmy Wilk (Cobh), James Dwyer (Ballincollig), Cillian Tobin (Bride Rovers), Daniel Murnane (Carrigtwohill), Peter O’Shea (Erin’s Own), Johnny Galvin (Éire Óg), Ronan O’Connell (Bride Rovers), Tadhg O’Connell (Ballincollig), Mikey Finn (Midleton), Ben Walsh (Killeagh), Adam O’Sullivan (Ballinhassig), Diarmuid Healy (Lisgoold), William Buckley (St Finbar’s), David Cremin (Midleton), Ben Nyhan (Clyda Rovers), Mark O’Dwyer (Russell Rovers), Jayden Casey (Youghal), Jack Leahy (Dungourney), James Murray (Youghal), Barry O’Flynn (Sarsfields), Barry Walsh (Killeagh), Oran O’Regan (Erin’s Own), Ross O’Sullivan (Na Piarsaigh), Eoin O’Leary (Glen Rovers), Ryan Sweeney (Blackrock), Ronan Dooley (Douglas).