Sean O'Leary Hayes to miss championship after transferring to the States 

Midleton will be without Seán O’Leary Hayes for the duration of the 2024 Cork Premier Senior Hurling Championship, with the player transferring to Westmeath New York for the year.

O’Leary Hayes, a Cork Club Hurling All-Star recipient last year – was outstanding in Midleton’s run to the final, operating as a man-marker across the half and full-back lines.

Tasked with marking the big names in the grade, he held Jack O’Connor to two points in the final and Ben Cunningham to just one from play in the semi-final.

He was arguably Midleton’s best player across the four championship games played, and will no doubt be a big loss for last year’s beaten finalists as they look to bounce back this season.

A Munster title winner at minor and U20, O’Leary Hayes was captain when Cork defeated Clare by 17 points in the 2017 Munster Minor Hurling Championship. He scored a point during that triumphant win in Thurles, but the team fell short against Galway in the All-Ireland decider, losing by two points.

While unclear whether he will be back in 2025 or not – it’s unlikely that we’ve seen the last of the wing-back with Midleton.

The 24-year-old will now be a huge asset to his American club though, as he was last year alongside clubmate Tommy O’Connell with the duo moving over when Cork were eliminated from the Munster Senior Hurling Championship.

Westmeath New York fell short in their title ambitions, as they lost to Tipperary in the semi-final stage of the New York Senior Hurling Championship. Tipp went on to win the competition in 2023, their second title in three years.

POPULAR CHOICE

Seán and Tommy weren’t the only big names to go abroad last summer though – as many other Cork stars headed over for the summer months, including Seamus Harnedy, who was instrumental in Cork’s run to the All-Ireland Senior Hurling final this year.

Seamus played for Tipperary San Francisco, alongside both Damien and Conor Cahalane, while the Barrs’ Brian Hayes also featured for the west coast outfit in 2023.

Galway Boston had the luxury of Castlemartyr’s Ciarán Joyce, and other Cork stars in Shane Barrett, Padraig Power, Ger Millerick, Seán Twomey and Niall O’Leary. They won the 2023 Boston SHC, defeating a Fr Tom Burke’s side that consisted of Daire O’Leary, Sam Quirke, Kevin Moynihan and the Roche twins – Eoin and Brian.

This year saw Sam Quirke return to the States to play hurling, though he opted for Tipperary San Francisco this time around – and might not be back for the first round of Midleton’s Premier Senior Hurling Championship against Charleville on August 3 in Mourneabbey.

Former Cork U20 hurler Ciarmhac Smyth is another Midleton player to have gone abroad this year, playing for Fr Tom Burke’s as they aim for four in a row – but he will be back for the Cork PSHC.

Charleville’s Jack Doyle – another Cork Club Hurling All-Star winner in 2023 is also in the US, but like Ciarmhac, will be back for the first round meeting between Charleville and Midleton.