Cork Hurling: Ben O'Connor's management team is confirmed

Cork County Board have revealed the management teams that will proposed for approval at Tuesday night's monthly meeting at SuperValu Páirc Uí Chaoimh.

Following last week's news that Ben O'Connor is set to succeed Pat Ryan as manager of the county senior hurling team, the names of Ronan Curran (St Finbarr's), William Biggane (Newtownshandrum) and Terence McCarthy (Midleton) - who were all part of the backroom team for the 2023 All-Ireland U20HC victory under O'Connor - were in circulation as likely to make the step up with the Newtownshandrum man and that has proven to be the case.

Curran, who won All-Ireland medals with O'Connor in 2004 and 2005 as well as being a three-time All-Star, has built up his coaching portfolio with stints in charge of his home club the Barrs as well as Kanturk while McCarthy has held a wide variety of roles on Midleton management teams. He was a selector for the Magpies' last county senior title, in 2021, when O'Connor served as coach of the side. Biggane, who kept goal for Newtown's last title in 2009, primarily looked after goalkeeping coaching with the U20 side.

The trio will be selectors while the role of coach will be taken up by Niall O'Halloran. The Ballinhassig man has amassed considerable experience in guiding Bandon (2016 Premier IHC), Éire Óg (2020 IAHC), Fr O'Neills (2023 SAHC) and Lisgoold (2024 IAHC) to county championship glory. He was also coach to the Cork minor team under John Considine in 2018 and has also been involved with the MTU Cork team in the Fitzgibbon Cup in recent years.

O'Connor will become the first Newtownshandrum native to hold the title of Cork manager, the team that won three All-Ireland SHC titles in a row in 1976, 1977 and 1978 was under the tutelage of Fr Bertie Troy, who hailed from the parish. Back then, Fr Troy's title was coach while the late Kevin Kehily, who undertook what is now known as strength & conditioning coaching, was referred to as the team's trainer.

After O'Connor stepped down as U20 manager following the 2024 Munster final loss to Tipperary, Noel Furlong was appointed to that post on a two-year role. His management team remains unchanged from last year, with Dónal Óg Cusack (Cloyne), Tadhg Óg Murphy (Sarsfields), Seán Guiheen (Na Piarsaigh) and Vincent Hurley (Courcey Rovers) assisting the man who led the county to the 2021 All-Ireland minor title.

The incoming minor manager for 2026 is, like Ben O'Connor, a Newtownshandrum man - Donal Mulcahy. The captain of Newtown when they won the county SHC for the first time in 2000, Mulcahy - a brother of former Cork captain and later coach Pat - is following the pathway from the Rebel Óg ranks that has characterised the minor management in recent years.

He is set to have as his selectors Jason Barrett of Carrigtwohill, John Kingston (Tracton) and Erin's Own's Peter Kelly.