William Buckley on that Cork U20 'ghost goal' and bouncing back with the Barrs 

The U20 hurling championship did not have the ending that we all hoped on Leeside but there were some real positives as a number of players stood tall in Rebel red.

Much has been said about that 'ghost goal' that slipped beyond the officials gaze against Tipperary and the chances that went astray in the closing stages of the Munster final. Provincial silverware went to the Premier instead and who knows what might have happened if the All-Ireland final was a Cork-Offaly rematch.

St Finbarr's William Buckley has been reflecting on a campaign where he hurled well enough to be picked as the latest winner of the 96FM/C103 GAA award in association with Rochestown Park Hotel.

"It was a good year, especially on the back of last year but it could have been so much better if we got over the line against Tipperary.

"This was tough to take in the end and I suppose we have had time now to reflect overall. Small margins - I didn't actually see that goal at the time against Tipperary. When I saw it back after I knew that it was a goal but that's sport, sometimes things go with you, other times it's different. 

We look back at the wides afterwards and realised that at least half of them probably should have been scores."

On a personal level, the Barrs man was happy with how Ben O'Connor's side picked up their form coming into the latter stages of the Munster series.

"It looked as if we were building nicely through April, with plenty of momentum from the early games. I was happy overall, with the way things had gone particularly the way we pushed on to the Munster final with that win in Ennis. 

PASSION

"As a group, we have enjoyed a good few years under Ben O'Connor. He is an excellent manager, very approachable and always trying to get the best out of us. 

"Hopefully, I'll see him again at some stage. He is a great hurling man with real passion for the game, he showed that after our victory in Clare.

It has been a great few years with Cork and hopefully looking ahead I will be able to push on and get involved with the seniors in the future."

After the highs and eventual lows of the inter-county campaign, he is back in club action and they're moving well in Togher.

"For me the only way to get over a loss with Cork, is to quickly refocus back at your club. That's where it all started and all you want to do is to go back and help the team along the way to keep winning matches in the league."

The Blues' recent 10-point win over Courcey Rovers saw them maintain their unbeaten record ahead of tomorrow's trip to Carrigaline. Right now the city side are in the driving seat to earn promotion back to the top flight.

"Championship will then be in the focus and it will be Blackrock first up on a Friday night, which should be a cracker between two city rivals. For now it's a case of maintaining our good league form as we come nearer to championship time."

After the clash with Blackrock at Páirc Uí Rinn on August 2, the Barrs then travel east to play Fr O'Neill's in Midleton on August 24, before concluding their group games two weeks later in Cloughduv against Newcestown. 

Their title defence 12 months ago ended at the penultimate stage with a 1-17 to 0-18 loss to Midleton. League form this term suggests that this talented panel are certainly capable of being in the hurling conversation well into the autumn as the club chases county number 27.

Buckley, one of the brightest sparks in the club's current generation, is ensured of this place in the limelight when he will join a galaxy of monthly sports stars early next year at the overall 96FM/C103 sports banquet at Rochestown Park Hotel.