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Cork hurlers win Canon O’Brien Cup

On Friday night, Cork reclaimed the Canon O’Brien Cup with a 6-24 to 0-13 victory over UCC at the Mardyke. After narrowly losing by a point last year, Pat Ryan’s side ensured there was no doubt this time. Cork led 1-11 to 0-5 at halftime, with Shane Kingston contributing 1-7, including a superbly taken goal.

The Rebels extended their lead after the break as Kingston converted a penalty following a foul on Alan Walsh, bringing his tally to 2-8. While UCC enjoyed a brief purple patch midway through the second half, scoring four points in a row through Darragh Flynn and others, they never truly threatened a goal. Cork’s defence, led by Cormac O’Brien and Conor Cahalane, held firm throughout.

Cork’s midfield, anchored by Brian Roche, impressed, while Diarmuid Healy caused problems with his powerful running from wing-forward. The Rebels emptied their bench in the second half, adding further attacking firepower. Robbie Cotter, Brian Hayes, and Declan Dalton found the net late, ensuring a resounding victory.

UCC goalkeeper Paudie O’Sullivan produced several outstanding saves to deny Cork additional first-half goals, but the gap at the break was already nine points. UCC will now turn their focus to the Fitzgibbon Cup.

Scorers for Cork: S Kingston 2-8 (1-0 penalty, 0-5 f), R Cotter 2-1, B Hayes, D Dalton 1-0 each, P Power, T O’Mahony (0-1 f, 0-1 65) 0-2 each, A Walsh, C Cahalane, D Healy, B Roche, E Carey, G Millerick, P Horgan (0-1 f), D Fitzgibbon, L Meade 0-1 each.

Scorers for UCC: B Cunningham 0-5 (0-4 f), F Coleman, D Flynn, W Buckley (0-1 f) 0-2 each, B Keating, E O’Leary, D McSweeney 0-1 each.

CORK: B Saunderson; S O’Donoghue, N O’Leary, E Roche; C Cahalane, R Downey (capt), C O’Brien; T O’Mahony, B Roche; D Healy, S Barrett, S Kingston; P Power, A Walsh, J Cahalane.

Subs: E Carey for O’Brien, L Meade for Power, D Fitzgibbon for Downey (all half-time), G Millerick for C Cahalane (35), B Hayes for Barrett, P Horgan for Kingston (both 39), R Cotter for J Cahalane, D Dalton for Walsh (both 42).

UCC (Cork unless stated): P O’Sullivan (Fr O’Neills); S Daly (Randal Óg), C Doolan (St Finbarr’s), M Mullaney (Stradbally, Waterford); E Guinane (Valley Rovers), J Dwyer (Ballincollig), T Wilk (Cobh); E Twomey (St Finbarr’s), D Flynn (Ballygiblin); B Cunninghan (St Finbarr’s), B Keating (Ballincollig), E Stokes (Doon, Limerick); D Cremin (Midleton), F Coleman (Blackrock), W Buckley (St Finbarr’s).

Subs: O O’Regan (Erin’s Own) for Daly, C McCarthy (Blarney) for Guinane, E O’Leary (Glen Rovers) for Cremin (all half-time), M Howell (Douglas) for Dwyer, D McSweeney (Blarney) for Flynn (both 42), E Kirby (Blarney) for Coleman (44), C Geary (Youghal) for Mullaney, C O’Mahony (Ballygunner, Waterford) for Stokes (both 47), J McCarthy (St Finbarr’s) for O’Sullivan (49), Flynn for Keating, K Lyons (Ballygarvan) for Cunningham (both 51).

Referee: C O’Regan (Ballyhea).

Sean Desmond enjoying Watergrasshill’s development;

Seán Desmond enjoying Watergrasshill’s development

by Cian O’Connell

“He has brought an awful lot, to be honest with you,” Seán Desmond responds when asked about Watergrasshill manager Eddie Enright’s contribution.

Back in 2001 Enright won an All-Ireland with Tipperary, while also starring in UCC and Thurles Sarsfields colours. Throughout the past decade and a half, though, Enright has been a key figure on and off the field of play for Watergrasshill, who face Tynagh/Abbey-Duniry in Sunday’s AIB All-Ireland IHC Final at Croke Park.

“He has brought a serious amount,” Desmond adds. “Eddie has been down in Watergrasshill for a few years now, he has been involved before with the intermediate team, and he’s back involved this year.

“We probably train Tuesday, Thursday, and at the weekend, but you’d see Eddie there down below at the pitch on a Monday training the kids, he could train another set of kids on a Wednesday night.”

That passion for hurling and development is crucial. “He brings an awful lot to the team, but to the club, too,” Desmond says. “He is a massive part of the club. Eddie runs Cúl Camps in the summer down at the pitch, he’s a massive part of our club.

“He brings an awful lot to the table to help us as a team. We’re grateful to have him, he’s a big part of the success. He’s a big person to have with the squad.”

Winning Intermediate titles in Cork and Munster illustrates Watergrasshill’s potential. Desmond has won an All-Ireland U20 with Cork and acknowledges that something is stirring in the club. “Watergrasshill was always known as a small place, but now it is starting to build,” Desmond says.

“You’ve a lot of new houses going up so you’ve a lot of young fellas. There is probably two teams for a fair few ages along the way. There is a load of young people coming through.”

Securing silverware at adult level helps the next generation. “The success we’ve had is not for us as the players and management from 2024 or whatever,” Desmond remarks.

“It is to benefit the whole lot of the club. You see kids, you’re coming off the pitch after a game, they’re just over the moon watching their adult team in the club getting to finals and winning cups. That is going to drive them on to do the same thing in years to come.

“They’re going to try to push as hard as they can to get up the years, to play with us. It is a snowball effect really, we’ve some serious young underage hurlers, who will be coming through.

“The main goal is to keep them involved, to keep them playing, in the hurling. Hopefully we will get them involved with us down the line.”

Desmond mined three points in Imokilly’s Cork SHC triumph over Sarsfields in October. It was a hectic, but rewarding spell. “It is actually fairly full on, to be honest,” he says. “There is a great understanding between the Imokilly Division and the club.

“In fairness, we’d asked Eddie at the start of the year, what the story was with Imokilly. He was all for us to go about it, the more of us the better, he said the more of us playing with Imokilly, at a higher standard, we’d bring that into our own club games, to rise up the standard there, too. So, it definitely benefited us a lot.”

Planning and plotting was needed, but Watergrasshill found a way. “It wasn’t easy,” Desmond says. “You were probably out Monday night with Imokilly, you were out with your club Tuesday night, you’re probably off on a Wednesday night, but you’re not really. You’re doing a bit of recovery after doing two sessions night after night.

“You’re back in with the club on Thursday, you might have an Imokilly session on the Friday maybe. You’d have club then again at the weekend. So, it was fairly full on. It is what we love doing, we enjoy doing it, and we got to where we’re today, we’re happy enough.”

Croke Park on a Sunday in January is the next stop on Watergrasshill’s adventure. “It isn’t a bad place to be, that is one thing for sure, at the start of the year,” Desmond accepts.

“It is going to be class, in fairness, it is a new one for a lot of us. Everyone is excited for it.”

Watergrasshill face Tynagh-Abbey/Duniry (Galway) at Croke Park on Sunday 12th January 2.30pm. Tickets available from gaa.ie/tickets

Best wishes to Watergrasshill from all in Cork GAA.

Kilmurry in AIB Club All Ireland Football Semi Final Action;

THE AIB GAA Football All-Ireland Junior Club Championship Semi Final takes place on Sunday 12th January 2025 at Parnell Park, Dublin.

Kilmurry (Cork) face Naomh Padraig (Donegal) at Parnell Park, Dublin, on Sunday 12th January 2pm. Tickets are available from gaa.ie/tickets

For those unable to travel, the match will be covered by TG4 on their YouTube channel, details below;

GAA Live – YouTube TG4 Sport

ONLINE: 13 :55pm

AIB Club Championship – All-Ireland Junior Football Semi-Final

C ILL MHUIRE (COR) v ST. PATRICK’S, WHITEWATER (DNG)

VENUE;: Park Parnell, Dublin

Game Start: 14:00pm

Commentary : Conall O’Martin

Extra time: YES 2 x 10′ & Penalty kicks (If required)

Ciarán Sheehan relishing unexpected dream come through;

By John Harrington

Ciarán Sheehan has lived a sporting life less ordinary.

An underage dual star with the Cork minor and U21 footballers and hurlers, he won a senior All-Ireland football title with the Rebels in 2010 while still a teenager.

After being awarded Player of the Series in Ireland’s 2013 International Rules Series triumph over Australia, he signed a two-year contract with AFL club Carlton.

He won an award for the club’s Best First Year Player after the 2014 season, but ultimately his time Down Under was badly hampered by hamstring injuries.

When he returned to Ireland he played one more year of inter-county football in 2020 before a knee injury forced him into retirement the following year.

It looked at that stage like big days in Croke Park were very much a thing of the past for Sheehan, but fate has dictated otherwise.

Last year he transferred from his club Éire Óg to play hurling with Russell Rovers in Shanagarry where he now lives with his wife Amy and on Sunday he’ll captain them in the AIB All-Ireland Junior Hurling Championship Final against St. Lachtain’s of Kilkenny.

The last of the summer wine is usually sweetest of all, and Sheehan is loving this expected late chapter to his sporting career.

“Honestly and I know it’s a bit of a cliche, but it’s a dream come through,” says Sheehan. “I certainly didn’t see myself ever getting back to Croke Park to be totally honest with you. It’s been a bit of a rollercoaster of a year.

“As you say, it’s been quite a varied sporting career but one that I’ve thoroughly enjoyed to be totally honest. I’m 34 years of age now and you could say I’m coming to the end but it’s certainly a place I never thought I’d be at this stage.

“I’ve captured already some very special moments between winning the county and the Munster and having the kids there and being able to get some great snaps with them.

“Your priorities change over the years, your motivations change over the years, it’s something that I’m really enjoying. It’s a slight change I suppose.

“The competitiveness and motivation remains the same, that burning desire to win is always there. But to do it in a different environment and a fresh environment for me, it’s really exciting. I’ve been lucky enough to really engrained in the club and in the community.

“I’ve approached things a little bit differently as I’ve gotten older in terms of being able to relax a small bit more and enjoy the game rather than get too uptight about everything. It’s been something that I’ve certainly really loved and I’m really excited about the day on Sunday.”

It says a lot about Sheehan as both a person and sportsperson that Russell Rovers manager, Dave Dorgan, saw fit to make him team captain this year in just his second year with his adopted club.

“I’m honoured to be captain of the group,” says Sheehan. “I suppose there was a freshness coming into the group overall. There was new management, Donal Óg came in as coach. I suppose the view was that we’d refresh the whole thing, we’ll come at it from a different angle, and it’s worked so far anyway, we’ve just one more to tick off.

“I’m surrounded by very strong leaders that have led this club over the last number of years and I’ve leaned on them hugely. It’s a collective leadership style that has brought us through all of this year.

“It’s rewarding and I’m very honoured but, at the end of the day, it’s about going out and representing the club in a way that is relentless in the pursuit to win.”

Sheehan isn’t the only former All-Ireland winner involved with Russell Rovers. Donal Óg Cusack is team coach, and according to Sheehan has played a big role in the team’s rising performance graph.

“He’s been brilliant,” says Sheehan. “Donal Óg was involved with a lot of these players with St. Colman’s who are an amalgamation club underage of Russell Rovers and Cloyne. He has worked closely with them and to have his experience and knowledge of the game, he’s a legend of the game really in terms of what he’s achieved on the field and off the field at this stage.

“What the team needed I suppose was Donal Óg. He is the exact person in so far as he’s very disciplined, very direct, very particular about his coaching which is important for us. It gave us structure, it gave us an inspiration. When Donal Óg talks you listen and that’s it.

“It’s been a new lease of life for the group both in terms of having him out there every night out training in the the middle of all of us, directing us and telling us what to do and what not to do. It’s inspiring for us and it has brought a huge motivating factor but also a real solid structure to the group.”