West Cork native set to join Barrs in hurling

All-Ireland U20 hurling medallist Seán Daly is set to transfer from Randal Óg to St Finbarr’s for hurling.

Daly, who was part of the Ben O’Connor-managed squad that won the title in 2023, is among those whose transfer applications have been recommended for approval by Cork County Board’s Competitions Control Committee. Assuming no hiccups, they will be made official at next Tuesday night’s (February 17) monthly board meeting at SuperValu Páirc Uí Chaoimh.

While he never played minor for the county, Daly’s perseverance stood him in good stead.

“I would have been involved from U13 up to U16,” he told The Echo in 2023, “but I was on the C and B teams, I was never close to the A team.

“I didn’t make the minor panel but I was involved last year [2022] with the U20s as an extended squad member. This year was the first year I was properly on it.

“I was always a bit smaller than the rest of them and it took a few years to physically develop and get up to that level.

“By the time I was 19 or 20, I was a lot closer to fellas than I had been when I was 16 or 17.”

Daly, who has been a mainstay of the UCC team in the Fitzgibbon Cup during his time in college, will continue to play football for Randal Óg, with whom he won a county JBFC medal in 2021.

He will come into a Barrs set-up fronted by brothers Paudie and Kevin Murray as manager and coach respectively and he is following a similar Dunmanway-to-Togher path as the pair – they played football for Dohenys, as well as hurling for Cloughduv, before moving to the Barrs in 2002.

The city side will commence their RedFM Hurling League Division 1 campaign against neighbours and rivals Blackrock on Sunday, March 8 while their group in the Co-op SuperStores Premier SHC features Midleton, Newcestown and Bride Rovers.

Other transfers set for approval on Tuesday include former Cork footballers Colm and Kevin O’Driscoll, whose proposed switches from Tadhg Mac Cárthaighs to O’Donovan Rossa and Clonakilty respectively had been revealed before Christmas.

Former Cork hurler Cian McCarthy, who was a selector as Sarsfields won the Premier SHC in 2025, will be able to hurl for the club again as he switched from Passage.

Other veterans on the move are Colm O’Sullivan (Cloyne to Newcestown) and Paul Honohan (Bishopstown to Carraig na bhFear) reflecting changes in residence for them.