BY KIERAN McCARTHY
JOHN O’Rourke is backing Cork footballers to return to Division 1 in the national league, but only if they find the consistency that’s eluded them in recent seasons.
The Carbery Rangers footballer confirmed his inter-county retirement this week and was one of FOUR Rebels to step back from John Cleary’s panel for the 2025 campaign.
Killian O'Hanlon (Kilshannig), like O’Rourke, has also retired from inter-county football, while Kilmacabea forward Damien Gore and St Finbarr’s sharpshooter Steven Sherlock are both taking a year out – this mini exodus is a blow to the Cork attack.
‘The main reason (I’m retiring) is game time, and last season not getting game time. The effort that goes in is greater and greater every year, so when you are coming to 32 going on 33, you want to play,’ O’Rourke told The Southern Star.
‘I felt that wasn’t going to change next year so the best decision for me was to finish up and call it a day.’
O’Rourke has been a mainstay of the Cork senior football squad since the 2013 season when he made his debut, and has seen the county’s struggles first-hand as the Rebels slipped from a Division 1 team and All-Ireland contenders to a mid-table Division 2 side well behind the top counties.
A return to Division 1 of the league is a target that hasn’t been achieved, but O’Rourke believes Cleary’s charges can win promotion once they iron out the consistency problem that has plagued recent Cork managers.
‘Cork are on the right track. Kevin Walsh has put in a good structure in terms of strategy and game-plan, and there is a good group of talented players there. What’s needed now is to be consistent,’ O’Rourke said.
‘Cork aren’t too far away. Any time Cork played a big team in the last few years, the team showed it can compete, but there just needs to be more consistency in the league and push for Division 1 – you need to be consistent week-in, week-out, and not be very good one week and then struggle against a team that you should be beating.
‘Over the last few years we were able to raise it on certain days but on other days were not able to find a solution to win a match. You need to string results together and I’m sure this team can get out of Division 2 next season.
‘There are good characters and leaders in the group, and it needs everything to be tied together for consistency to come in. If they can become consistent, I think Division 1 isn’t too far away. Cork hasn’t had that consistency since 2012 and that needs to change.’
