New Cork U20 football boss Ray Keane relishing 'huge challenge' ahead

New Cork U20 football manager Ray Keane is relishing the opportunity of the new role.

The Kerry native, now based in Ovens, was appointed on a two-year term last Tuesday evening.

Keane was previously a Cork senior football selector, while he steered St Finbarr’s to the Cork senior football title in 2018 and guided Aghabullogue to contest the Cork PIFC final last year.

“It’s something you should be very proud of,” the Éire Óg clubman says to The Echo on his new role.

“You get to test yourself and challenge yourself at the next level. I am just looking forward to getting the lads together now and, I suppose, setting out our plans and paths.

“On the face of it, you'd say it was an easy decision to take it on, but at the same time, you have to step back and you have to look at it from the point of view of family life, my wife, kids, and how it may or may not affect them.

“We’ve two businesses on the go between us, so you have that aspect of it and, you know, it’s just getting the balance of it right and see how it will impact it or may not impact it.

“But I suppose, it was an easy decision, but you just want to make sure you’re doing it the right way. It's an important role and obviously at that age group.” 

Keane is under no illusions regarding the job that he is taking on. Cork have struggled to make any impact since last winning the Munster title in 2021.

“I suppose at any level, it’s a huge challenge,” Keane said.

“An awful lot of work to be done to be fair. What we’ll be looking forward to, more than anything, is putting our own stamp on it and trying to get the team together first, the panel together, you know, go around the next few weeks and see what’s available.

“There might be lads that maybe aren’t heard of, hope to pick up a few of them, bring them in, mould them into what you want. You’re putting your own stamp on it and see where that takes us.

“You can look at the past if you so wish. But look, the reality of it is that our only concern now is 2026 realistically. And that’s the way, in my view, any player should really be looking at it because that’s the beauty of sport.

“No matter what happens today, you always have another chance tomorrow. If you look at the management team that I've put in place, it’s a blank canvas for everyone.

“I would be thinking if I was a player around the county, it’s a blank canvas for them too, whether you’ve been involved in squads or not involved in squads. There’ll be an opportunity over the next few weeks and months to put your hand up. And the reality of life and the reality of sport is that you’ll either take it or you won’t.” 

The new Cork U20 football boss has assembled a shrewd management team with Paul Kerrigan, Kevin O’Sullivan and Enda Kiernan part of the new ticket. Keane is delighted to have them on board.

“Paul is an All-Ireland winner,” the Kerry native states.

“He was an extremely intelligent player when he was playing, with a huge desire to win. He would have been heavily involved coaching Coláiste Chríost Rí over the years, and he’s obviously a Nemo man.

“Kevin O’Sullivan, interestingly enough, when I was training minor and U21 teams in Éire Óg, Kevin would have been in the opposition dugout with Cill na Martra.

“He would have brought that club up to kind of where they are now in a sense in that they won an Intermediate county in 2018 under him.

“He’s with Carrigaline now and he has developed a fine side there as well, to be fair to him.

“He guided them to the Senior A title and they won the Division 1 league last year. Carrigaline are already qualified heading into the last group game of the Premier Senior championship. That's some going.

“Enda Kiernan would be my right hand man in effect. But at the same time, a man that will challenge me and I suppose he puts it to me the whole time. We just have a good working relationship.

“They all have a huge amount to bring to the table as far as I’m concerned. It’s not only the players who are developing at U20 level.” 

Keane’s immediate focus is on Aghabullogue. He’s in his second season at the helm. They lost the McCarthy Insurance Group PIFC final last year after a defeat to Kilshannig after a replay.

The Muskerry men are top of their respective championship group going into the final group game against Aghada this Saturday in Ballincollig at 6pm.

“It’s just like anything, when I go into work in the morning, my focus is on my job. Then in the evening time, you switch over to your other job. That’s just the way my life is.

“Look, it’s a huge game against Aghada. We’re heading into our last group game, despite the fact we’ve won two from two, we could still not go through on scoring difference.

“So if Aghada were to beat us and Nemo were to beat Bantry, then depending on scoring, we could be in trouble. So that’s the beauty about it.

“There’s no easy game in the championship. We’ll do our best and see where it takes us.”