Keith Ricken: Future is bright for these Cork minor footballers, they have the right mindset 

Cork minor football manager Keith Ricken was proud of his players despite the nine-point defeat to Tyrone in the Electric Ireland All-Ireland MFC quarter-final at Laois Hire O’Moore Park on Saturday afternoon.

The Rebels lost 1-21 to 1-12 as the campaign came to an end, but there are more positives than negatives to take out of the season for them. The players certainly ticked a lot of boxes, but just didn’t have that extra bit of quality to reach the next level this year. 

“We had a poor start and a poor finish and a very good performance in-between,” Ricken said post-match at the weekend. 

“I suppose we expended an awful lot of energy to get back into the game and coming down the home straight, we got to within four points. We gave away the ball two, three or four times and got punished. These things happen, there’s great spirit in this bunch of lads.

“They don’t give up and they always keep fighting to the very end. We’re proud of the parents and the clubs and how much support each young fella got throughout the year. I’m kind of really humbled by the parents. We had 40-odd players today at the game, only 20 of them could play.

“We had a couple of injuries this year that really kind of cost us at crucial stages. I think people will be encouraged by the spirit and the attitude. No one can say that the players were out of their depth.” 

While the Rebels lost three of their four championship games this year including twice to Kerry in Munster, Ricken is confident the future is bright for this particular group of Cork footballers. The lack of competitive games though is something that the minor boss wants addressed as he goes into his second season at the helm in 2026.

“I think the future is bright for them and I think Cork will get a lot of players into the future from this team because they have the right mindset," he says. 

“I said previously that the more games these lads play, the better they will get and that has been true. But, they’ve played three games in Munster and one in the All-Ireland. Tyrone have played around 10 games between the Ulster league and championship.

“Until we kind of address that issue with the lack of games in Munster, then it’s going to be a problem when you get into the All-Ireland series. Croke Park have called this minor, it’s not minor, it’s U17.

“It’s developmental. They should be all getting the same amount of games and the same amount of activities. I’d be hoping that someone would look into that for next year.” 

Ricken has enjoyed his first campaign as Cork minor football manager despite the results.

“The players were in good form, the management were in good form. It was a lovely place to be this year. So that’s one thing that I’m happy with and I suppose the second thing that I’m happy with, there’s a commitment to Cork football there.

“But overall, I guess, working with young people is a gift and it’s a blessing. If I keep doing that, I'll be happy enough with that.”