Hugh O'Connor reflects on Cork U20 footballers season and why he thinks the future is bright

It was a season that promised so much for the Cork U20 footballers but the manner of their defeat to Kerry in the Munster final just over two months ago still hurts.

The Kingdom won by six points in a very disappointing decider at Austin Stack Park in Tralee. It was a cakewalk for Kerry. The Rebels never fired in a match that was expected to go down to the wire. The loss came just two weeks after Tomás Ó Sé’s side won by four points in the group stage meeting at Supervalu Páirc Uí Chaoimh.

Cork U20 captain Hugh O’Connor has now finally time to catch his breath after a hectic few months. The Newmarket dual star went into Cork's U20 hurling setup days after the footballers exit and played his part in getting the team into the Munster final but were narrowly beaten by Tipperary.

While it’s tough for O’Connor to look back, he feels the need to do so, as Ray O’Mahony’s footballers fell short.

“We started back training in November and everyone put in a massive effort,” he says.

“We couldn’t have asked for any more effort from the players and management in fairness. We felt good coming into the championship, we were building on every challenge match we played. A great start in beating Tipperary away from home and then against Kerry down the Páirc, we were probably holding back a small bit. Maybe we didn’t want to show too much and they were definitely doing the same.

“I wouldn’t have any regrets about it. We bounced back and had a massive win against Clare which gave us confidence going into the Munster final. We were very well prepared and motoring well but it just didn’t happen for us.” 

It was a big occasion for Cork in that provincial decider. A large crowd in Tralee, live on TV, playing the enemy and also the fact that O’Connor was part of the Rebels team that got soundly beaten by Kerry at Páirc Uí Chaoimh last year in the Munster final. This one meant everything.

“You never really worry about a result as long as you put in your best,” O’Connor said.

“We just never played anywhere near our best that evening and that was most disappointing. Maybe the fact that we have a young team, nervousness, down in Tralee and the whole atmosphere might have all been a factor. It’s very disappointing and even for myself personally I didn’t play my best. It’s disappointing when you put in so much training for months and you wait for something for so long and it just doesn’t happen, that’s sport I suppose.” 

O’Connor was captain of the team this year and leading a group of young footballers wasn’t something new for him considering the Newmarket player was joint-captain of the Cork minors when they won the Munster title in 2021. He had been hoping to add more provincial medals at U20 level in 2022 and ’23 but it wasn’t to be.

“It’s always a massive honour to captain your team,” he says.

“Ray [O’Mahony] texted me one Friday evening asking if I was around. I met up with him and he offered me the captaincy and I was absolutely over the moon and I gladly took it on. It was an honour and the people of Newmarket were delighted for me. It’s special.

“Just a pity we didn’t achieve anything. Losing to Kerry in two successive finals felt like the exact same. Two performances where we didn’t reach the desired levels. We wanted revenge after the heavy defeat last year but you lose more times than you win in sport.” 

O’Connor’s U20 career with the Leesiders is now over, and as is the case in nearly every campaign, there will be a sizable turnover of players at U20 level in the close season as the Rebels look to win the Munster title next year for the first time since 2021. He feels hopeful though that the team can do something in 2025.

“Playing in the forwards with the likes of Ed [Myers] and Dara Sheedy all year, they have massive futures ahead of them. Even the younger lads, the likes of Gearóid Daly and Colm Molloy in the backs, they are solid players, so the U20 footballers have a strong backbone going into next year.

“A good few of the lads have beaten Kerry at some point in their careers so they know it can be done, it’s just about doing it. They will have home advantage in Cork for the Munster final next season if everything works out which would be a big benefit. I have faith in the team.” O’Connor concluded.