Cork U20 football team revealed for Munster opener against Clare
Cork's Dylan O'Neill celebrates his side's opening goal against Meath during an U20 football challenge match this year. Picture: Eddie O'Hare
Cork manager Ray O’Mahony has announced his team for Tuesday’s Dalata Hotel Group Munster U20 Football Championship opener against Clare.
The Leesiders make the long journey to Quilty with throw-in at 7pm in what will be a tricky contest for the Rebels.
Four players that played in the Munster final defeat to Kerry last year are set to start in this encounter for Cork and they are captain Colin Molloy, Gearóid Daly, Dara Sheedy and Ed Myers.
Gearóid Kearney and Micheál Maguire came on that evening in Austin Stack Park in Tralee, but they aren’t included in the 24-man squad for Tuesday. Maguire has a hamstring injury and will be out for a couple of weeks.
In total in terms of the overall panel, there are 14 players still involved from the 2024 season, so there is continuity on that front.
O'Mahony has brought up four players from last year's minor squad into the U20 panel - Dylan Harrington, Niall O’Shea, Danny Miskella and Dylan O’Neill - with three starting in Clare with Harrington set to be among the substitutes.
Kerry and Tipperary are also in this Phase 2 of the championship. They clash in New Inn also on Tuesday evening at 7pm. After the completion of the round-robin phase, the top two progress to the Munster final. It’s the second season of the new format with the expectation that it will be Kerry against Cork once more in the decider.
The Rebels are hoping to stop Kerry from doing four-in-a-row this year having lost to the Kingdom in the previous three finals. The Leesiders are looking for a first provincial title since 2021.
If you go back further, Cork have a decent record at this grade. They have appeared in every Munster final since the start of 2011. In the 14 deciders, the Leesiders have won seven, Kerry on six occasions, and Tipperary just once.
Clare and Tipperary have already played three championship matches having coming through Phase 1 against Limerick and Waterford.
Cork are on the road also for their second encounter as they travel over the county bounds to face Kerry next Monday at Austin Stack Park at 7.30pm. It will be live on TG4.
Billy Curtin (Valley Rovers);
Niall O’Shea (Urhan), Colin Molloy (Nemo Rangers, capt), Frank Hurley (O’Donovan Rossa);
Colm Clifford (Éire Óg), Gearóid Daly (Mallow), Seán O’Leary (Kilmurry);
Matthew Woods (Valley Rovers), Colm Gillespie (Aghabullogue);
Danny Miskella (Ballincollig), Dara Sheedy (Bantry Blues), Aaron O’Sullivan (Aghabullogue);
Bryan Hayes (Nemo Rangers), Ed Myers (Naomh Abán), Dylan O’Neill (Carbery Rangers).
Josh Woods (Valley Rovers), Neville O’Shea (Nemo Rangers), Kieran McCarthy (Carrigaline), Trevor Kiely (Mallow), Dylan Harrington (Clonakilty), Darragh Clifford (Éire Óg), Alan O’Connell (Kilshannig), Darragh Gough (Clonakilty), Tomás O’Keeffe (St Finbarr’s).
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