Cork GAA: All-Star football 15 marked absent for their clubs
Barry Cripps, Nemo Rangers, battles Sam Ryan, St Finbarr's. Picture: Jim Coughlan
In the three weeks between the first and second rounds of the Cork football championships, clubs will be focused on getting all hands on deck for the decisive games to come.
Here’s a selection of 15 players who we missed during round one.
We hope as many as possible will return in the coming weeks, although some won’t see action this year.
Kept a clean sheet in Cullen’s premier junior opener against Glenville but a leg injury caused Fachtna O’Connor to miss Duhallow’s victory over UCC. Had a high-profile replacement in Donncha O’Connor.
An ever-reliable man-marker, Sam Ryan is expected to miss St Finbarr’s bid to regain the Andy Scannell Cup for the first time since 2021. After that campaign, he was named in the national Club Football Team of the Year.
A member of the Reardens All-Star team for the past two seasons, Bríain Murphy has been a rock at the heart of Nemo Rangers’ defence. The three-time county champion spent the summer in Chicago.
A fairy-tale 2023 ended with Paul Ring lifting the intermediate A trophy to complete Aghabullogue’s double. He was victorious again in the Boston intermediate final last weekend for Kerry as they defeated, of all teams, Cork. “The first and last time we shout for Kerry,” quipped his home club.
A decade ago, Cian Kiely was playing a key role in Ballincollig’s maiden county triumph as a minor. Since then, he captained UCC to the 2019 Sigerson Cup and lined out with Cork until his move to Vancouver late last year.
Another blow to the St Finbarr’s rearguard as Billy Hennessy joined Sam Ryan in suffering a long-term injury. The dual star, who turned 27 this week, captained the hurlers to their 2022 breakthrough.
A goal-scorer in Millstreet’s premier junior opener against Urhan, Darragh Cashman departed through injury before the end of that encounter. The Rebel footballer qualifies for this team due to missing Duhallow duty against UCC as a result.
As he signed off with the Cork hurlers, Conor Cahalane broke a bone in his hand the weekend prior to the football championship.
The powerful midfielder was a key figure as Castlehaven recorded county and provincial titles in 2023.
Former Cork minor captain and All-Ireland-winner Eoghan Nash has led the way for Douglas prospects breaking into the senior team. Played with St Finnian’s in Vancouver this summer.
Captain of the most recent Nemo side to win a Munster championship, Barry O’Driscoll’s medal haul includes eight county and four provincial titles. Shook off a hamstring strain to start last year’s final but struggling with injury again this season.
Highly-rated centre-forward Liam O’Connell signed a rookie contract with AFL side St Kilda towards the end of 2023. The 21-year-old spent his early years in Australia before making his mark with Cork underage teams.
Last year, Blake Murphy’s hat-trick fired St Vincent’s through to the intermediate A knockout stages and onto the Cork senior panel.
Stepped away due to frustrations over game time and switched to San Francisco for the summer.
A broken leg has denied Naomh Abán’s rising star Ed Myers a crack at the premier intermediate championship this year. Scored 1-4 for the Rebel U20s against Clare and 2-5 for Muskerry against Avondhu in June.
Cork attacker Conor Corbett has been ruled out with his second cruciate ligament injury in three years. Hopefully, his return can be as effective as in 2022 when he scored a goal with his first kick in competitive football for 366 days.
Forced to retire due to a persistent knee injury last January, Luke Connolly bowed out aged 31 with five county titles and two Munster clubs. Raised the Andy Scannell Cup as captain in 2022 to mark Nemo’s centenary year.
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