Football’s Next Gen: Team-by-team guide to this year’s Corn Ui Mhuirí
CHAMPIONS: St. Brendan's College's Killarney joint captains Cian Lynch and Aodhan O'Neill raise the trophy after defeating St. Francis College, Rochestown in last February's final in Mallow. Picture; Eddie O'Hare
: Aidan O’Shea, Ciaran Costello, Luke Mulligan.
: TBC.
Mercy Mounthawk lost out in the semi-finals to eventual champions St Brendan’s College conceding two soft goals.
Paddy Lane, Daniel Kirby and Ben Murphy (all Austin Stacks).
: One of the favourites for outright honours, Mounthawk can field nine of last year’s starting fifteen and 17 of the squad from 22/23. With five Kerry minors they should progress from the group at a minimum with Paddy Lane being their marquee forward.
: Eoghan O’Gealbháin, Eamonn Fitzmaurice, Tommy Griffin.
: TBC.
Failed to get out of their group losing out in final group game to Skibbereen CS.
James Hoare (Dingle), Padraig Ó Mainnín (Lispole), Cian Ó Cinnéide (Lispole).
PSCD are back with a competitive squad. They have no less than 11 of last year's panel back and were impressive last week despite losing to the Sem in the O’Sullivan Cup semi-final. Padraig Ó Mainnín, Cian Ó Cinnéide and Paudie MacGearailt (Dingle) are talented footballers. PS Chorca Dhuibhne will be no pushover and if they can beat Chríost Rí in their first outing, then they could finish runners up to Mounthawk.
: Shane Creed, James Harding.
: Joint-captains Colm Gillespie (Aghabullogue) and Kevin O'Connell (Donoughmore).
First-timers in the Corn Uí Mhuirí. As a group, they decided this was the year to make the step up.
Ryan Delaney (Canovee), Aaron O' Sullivan (Aghabullogue) and Donal Dineen (Inniscarra).
: In a tough group with Mercy Mounthawk Tralee, PS Chorcha Dhuibhne and Coláiste Chríost Rí, they are competing against two multiple winners, and Mouthawk are one of the favourites. In such company, they face stiff opposition, but feel they should be up for the challenge.
: Brian Coughlan (Kinsale) and Colm Ó Meachair (St Finbarr’s).
Didn't qualify from the group stages.
: Colin Molloy (Nemo Rangers).
: Cian O Sullivan (St Finbarr’s), Artjoms Petrov (Nemo Rangers), Billy O’Neill (Nemo Rangers), Aaron Hegarty (Mayfield), Theo Morgan (Ballincollig).
: The famed Capwell nursery may not be what they once were, but this year they are hoping to reach the knock-out stages and to be playing football after Christmas. They will look to players like Cian O Sullivan and Trevor Howe of the St. Finbarr’s team that reached the Premier 1 Minor final, and Colin Molloy, who has played senior with Nemo this year, to buck their recent trend.
: Dan McKenna, Eoin Fitzgerald, Gavin O’Grady
Gearoid Evans (Keel)
Did not win a game in debut year.
Gearoid Evans (Keel), Shane and Dara Clifford (Laune Rangers) .
: Group B looks tough and Pres Milltown open up against Rochestown. They have already received a bit of a trimming from Coláiste Na Sceilge in the O’Sullivan Cup and De La Salle Macroom also looks tough. A first win in the Corn Ui Mhuiri is the goal but the school has neither a TY year nor a tradition of repeats so they will be happy with just one win.
: Padraig Murphy, Buddy O’Shea, Micheal Burns, Matt Keane.
: Emmet Daly (Valentia).
Lost out to St Brendan’s in the opening group game conceding two goals in added time in a group that also included Mounthawk.
Ian O’Sullivan (St Michaels/Foilmore), Ben O’Donoghue (St Marys), Emmett Daly (Valentia).
Another Kerry school on the way back. The opener against Macroom is a must win, though Rochestown are favourites to top group. Coláiste Na Sceilige will play Mercy Mounthawk in the O’Sullivan Cup semi-final on Monday next and that will be a better barometer as to their chances.
Liam Long, John Ryan, Bobbie O'Dwyer, Shane Ryan (Kerry goalkeeper)
Stiofain McSweeney (Iverleary)
Cormac Burke (Macroom), Owen McCarthy (Clondrohid), Sean O'Leary (Kilmurry), Denis O'Mullane (Kilmurry), Tom Brown (Kilmicheal)
: Competed at B level. Were not involved at the business end of the second-tier competition.
Back in the topflight for the first time since 2019. Not an easy group given the presence of last season’s beaten finalists, and two Kerry schools. But this De La Salle team is largely made up of the side that went all the way to the Frewen Cup semis two seasons ago, taking down Tralee CBS in the process. That’ll fill them with confidence of another run to the knockout stages.
: Eoghan Buckley (St Michael’s), Eamon Hennessy (Carrigaline). Liam Sheehan and Liam O Murchú – Logistics.
Beaten by St Brendan’s Killarney in the final.
: Tim O’Brien (Nemo Rangers).
Chris O’Keefe (Douglas), James Burke (Douglas), Rob Hanley (Douglas), Tomás Vaughan (Carrigaline).
: After reaching the final last year, only to fall short to The Sem, the Rochestown School are sure to be competitive again this year and will be there or thereabouts at the season’s end. Back-to-back Premier 1 minor titles for Douglas will aid their cause, though they are short the prodigious talents of the injured Seán Coakley. He is a huge loss not only to his school, but to the competition in general.
: Kieran Herlihy, Arthur Fitzgerald, Mike Leahy, Donal O’Doherty, Gary Stack.
: Timmy Moynihan (Spa).
: Winners.
Keelan O’Shea (Kilcummin), Jamie Moynihan (Glenflesk, Alex Hennigan (Dr Crokes), Callum Cronin (Glenflesk).
The Sem are going for three in row Corn Ui Mhuiri titles and it will take a good side to stop them. They have already blitzed Listowel and PS Chorca Dhuibhne in the O’Sullivan Cup. They will be without full back Maidhcí Lynch (Dr Crokes) until later in the competition. Callum Cronin and Alex Hennigan are free scoring forwards so they should make the semis.
: Eoin Byrne, John O’Shea.
TBC.
Failed to emerge from a stacked group containing eventual champions St Brendan’s and beaten semi-finalists Mercy Mounthawk. Ballincollig’s average losing margin across their three group games was 19 points.
Darragh Clifford (Éire Óg), Colm Clifford (Éire Óg), David O’Leary (Ballincollig). The latter was selected at half-back on this year’s minor hurling team of the year, one of two Cork players to make the 15.
: Coláiste Choilm again find themselves with three-in-a-row chasing St Brendan’s. It is against St Flannan’s and Mallow’s Patrician Academy where they will look to pick up points and the school’s first Corn Uí Mhuirí win since 2019. Leading the efforts to bridge that four-year gap will be the aforementioned Clifford pair. Colm was a Cork minor last year, Darragh midfield this year.
: Colm Dillon, Gary Brennan, John Conole.
: Fred Hegarty (Ennistymon).
Beaten 1-10 to 1-4 by Rochestown at the quarter-final stage.
: James Hegarty (Ennistymon), Darren Keane (Lissycasey), Paddy Nagle (St Joseph’s Doora Barefield). Hegarty, an All-Ireland minor hurling winner with Clare in June, was selected at centre-back on the team of the year.
Flannan’s were Frewen Cup (U16½) finalists two seasons ago and so their team for the upcoming Corn Uí Mhuirí campaign will lean heavily on that group. Look best-placed to take second in the group behind the Sem and reach another quarter-final.
: Eamon O’Connor, Eoin O’Carroll and James McGlade.
: Joint-captains Aidan Kelly (Clyda Rovers) and Gearóid Daly (Mallow).
: This is their first season participating in Corn Uí Mhuirí in years. Lost the Munster B semi-final to Abbey CBS last season.
: Alan O’Connell (Kilshannig), Gearóid Daly (Mallow) and Aidan Kelly (Clyda Rovers).
: They are grouped with reigning champions St Brendan’s, Coláiste Choilm Ballincollig and St Flannan’s Ennis so it’s a difficult one for the newcomers. However, having had a positive Frewen Cup campaign they feel they have a panel good enough to compete. The aim is to win at least one group game.
: Marc Ó Sé, Liam O’Sullivan, and Alan O’Sullivan.
Jake Foley (Kerins O’Rahilly's).
Needed a win or a draw in final group game but lost so did not get out of their group.
Jake Foley (Kerins O’Rahillys), Ronan O’Carroll and Ryan O’Driscoll (Austin Stacks).
: Lost the Dunloe Cup final to St Brendan’s last year and were expected to do well this term but have disappointed to dater. The Green are not the powerhouse in Tralee they once were but will be hoping to get out of this group. It could all hinge on their opening game against Hamilton HS Bandon that will be crucial as Skibbereen CS and Bandon will be tough nuts to crack.
: Anthony Seymour (Castlehaven), Brian Coffey (Bishopstown), Darragh O’Connor (Bishopstown).
: Lost in the semi-final against St Francis College, Rochestown.
: Kevin Murphy (Bishopstown).
: Odhran Foley (Bishopstown), Mark O Brien (Ballinora), Tomas O’Keeffe (St Finbarr’s), Matthew Ahern (St Finbarr’s).
: Spiorad Naoimh enjoyed a successful return to the top tier of Munster Colleges football last season after a last appearing in the competition in 2011/12. With a young team, they ultimately fell at the penultimate phase to St Francis College while on the home front, they won last year’s Simcox Cup. This year they will concentrate on trying to emerge from a challenging group and see where they go from there.
: David Whelton (Castlehaven), Colman O'Driscoll.
: Luke Shorten (Tadgh Mac Cárthaigh)
: Lost 2-12 to 1-8 to Coláiste an Spioraid Naoimh in the quarter-finals.
Dylan Hourihane, Frank Hurley (both O’Donovan Rossa), Luke Shorten (Tadgh Mac Cárthaigh) and Sean Connolly (Ilen Rovers).
: Skibbereen CS will be expected to reach the business end of this year’s Corn Uí Mhuirí with only six players gone from last year’s panel. Semi-finalists in 2021, last year the West Cork school defeated Pobalscoil Chorcha Dhuibhne, Pres Miltown and Pobalscoil Chorca Dhuibhne en route to losing to Coláiste an Spioraid Naoimh in the last eight.
: Rob Honohan (Bishopstown), John O Sullivan (N/A).
Reached the quarter-finals but lost to a super strong St. Brendan's of Killarney who went on to win the competition.
: Sean McEntee (Valley Rovers).
Josh Woods (Valley Rovers), Micheal Maguire (Castlehaven), Sean McEntee (Valley Rovers).
The Hammies are expected to be strong once again this year and get out of the group phase even with the strength of Skibbereen, who also made it to the quarter-finals last time around. A quarter-final would be respectable, however, in 2022 Bandon made it to their first ever Corn Ui Mhuiri semi-final and will be extra determined to give it an even bigger push this year to go all the way to the decider.
: Seán Mullins, Conor Sweeney, Kieran Hickey.
: Robbie McGrath (Galtee Rovers).
Got to last season’s All-Ireland B final (lost to St Joseph’s, Tyrone). They are back-to-back Munster B champions.
Emmet Bonnar (Galtee Rovers), Bill Quirke (Galtee Rovers) and Seán Lewis (Arravale Rovers).
: Prolific in the Munster B grade, they return to the Corn Uí Mhuirí for the first time in 10 years. The purpose is to give their students an opportunity to play at the highest level. They hope to be as competitive as possible, and their game Wednesday agaist debutants St Patrick’s Castleisland is one of the few to escape the weather.
: Diarmuid O'Donovan (St. James'), Gavin Kelly (Newcestown), Haulie O'Neill (Clonakilty).
: Darragh Gough (Clonakilty).
: Clon made it out of the group and into the quarter-finals but came up short against a Mercy Mounthawk side who were firing on all cylinders.
Darragh Gough (Clonakilty), Olan O'Donovan (Barryroe), Timothy Cullinane (Ballinascarthy).
: With the natural turnovers of players, Clon have lost a few key men. They have added a few talents from TY so it will be interesting to see how a younger less experienced squad will fare. Even still, ex-Cork minors Olan O'Donovan and Timothy Cullinane remain and they will be vital to the sides chances of escaping the group. A quarter-final tie would be the benchmark but they'll be hoping to go further than last year.
: Pa McCarthy and John O’Sullivan.
Ruairi Burke (Desmonds).
Last Season: Debutants in 2023/24.
Cillian Reidy (Cordal), Ayrton Burke (Desmonds), Michael Horan (Scartaglin), Ruairi Burke (Desmonds).
The All-Ireland C champions make a bold move entering the A grade this year. They are drawn in a three-school group with Abbey CBS and Clonakilty CC. It will be a historic day for the school on Wednesday when they face Abbey CBS in UL and can they win a game in their first year in the A grade? It is not impossible but it’s an ask.
