Bobby O’Dwyer will get an early opportunity to road test his Under-20 football panel with the re-introduction of the U-20 Football Development Leagues, which will give Cork three games in the John Kerins Cup.

Cork are grouped with Kerry and Galway – in the only three-team group across the five developmental Cup competitions – and are scheduled to host Kerry first, and are down to be away to Galway, before contesting either the Kerins Cup final or a play-off game that will ensure a third game for all competing counties.

The Under-20 Football Development Leagues are designed to aid development by giving each county at least three games in advance of the knock-out provincial championships. 
They were inaugurated in 2019 – played in June that year – and continued in 2020, when games were played in January. Cork won the 2020 John Kerins Cup Cork after beating Kildare in the final by 2-14 to 1-11.