Kilmeen playing its part in Clonakilty Community College's excellent form this season

Clonakilty Community College have been one of the standout teams in the Corn Uí Mhuirí this season.

The West Cork school have won their first two games in Group 4 and are looking in a great spot to qualify for the knockout stages.

They still require a positive result in their final group game next Wednesday against Coláiste Choilm to extend their campaign. The two teams will also meet in the Simcox Cup final. 

A look through the Clonakilty Community College panel and Kilmeen are featured heavily with an incredible eight players coming from that club.

It’s a remarkable feat for Kilmeen who ply their trade in the Junior A ranks in Carbery and wouldn’t be blessed with huge numbers.

Clonakilty Community College have defeated St Brendan’s College Killarney and Skibbereen Community School in the Corn Uí Mhuirí competition to date. They beat St Francis College Rochestown and De La Salle College Macroom in the Simcox Cup.

Kilmeen’s eight players involved with the Clonakilty Community College U19 team are Howard O’Donovan, Rory Twohig, Tadhg O’Brien, Ruairí O’Sullivan, Jason Murray, Tim Bailey, Oisín Harrington and Olan Murphy.

They have all played a significant role in the successful season to date with two trophies still very much achievable. There was a great picture taken by Marie Dorgan of the eight Kilmeen players after Clonakilty Community College's first game in the Corn Uí Mhuirí this season against St Brendan’s.

It was a proud and historic achievement for the club that day in Cill na Martra in terms of having eight players involved.

Kilmeen & Kilbree has developed wonderful facilities, pitches, gym, ball alley and recently a flood lit training area. The club’s underage coaching and development structures have ensured that these players have had first-class coaching and mentorship.

Kilmeen & Kilbree are no doubt proud of what these players have achieved in recent years. Rory Twohig and Oisín Harrington recently played with the Cork minor football team. Jason Murray and Olan Murphy have been involved in Cork hurling squads, playing with the Cork U17 Celtic Challenge hurling team in 2024. Howard O’Donovan is currently involved with the U17 hurling development squad.

They have had a very successful few years with Kilmeen & Kilbree GAA. They have won several county titles. In 2024, they won the minor hurling county final, in 2023 the minor football county was won and in 2022, the U15 hurling county title was claimed.

Some of the players were part of the Kilmeen & Kilbree U21 teams that completed the Carbery hurling and football championship double in 2024.

The older players in this group now train and play with the adult teams in the club. Kilmeen & Kilbree competes at Junior A level in both codes. This has been a wonderful experience for those young players involved and has ensured their continued development.