ADAM GRIFFIN, a TY student from Hamilton High School on work experience with The Southern Star, profiles five West Cork footballers he thinks are worth keeping an eye on in 2024
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Michael Hurley (Castlehaven)
Ahead of the 2022 senior inter-county football season, Hurley announced that he was retiring from the top level of football. He wanted to put his full focus into bringing the Andy Scannell Cup back down west to Castletownshend. His decision came as a great shock to Cork football advocates as they still believed Hurley could still be a useful asset for Cork in their 2022 campaign. The Rebels’ loss was Castlehaven’s gain, as this season Hurley was one of the main men in the Haven’s successful county and Munster campaigns. He scored a total of 18 points out of Haven’s 3-70 in their victorious county campaign, with five of those points coming against Nemo Rangers in the county final, including a crucial score to seal the win and bring the cup back west for the first time in ten years. Is a call-back to the Cork football intercounty squad on the cards?
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Mark White (Clonakilty)
When you think of a GAA goalkeeper, what attributes come to mind? Good shot-stopping ability, tall, imposing, good kick-outs, and finally good underneath a high ball and not afraid of anyone. Well, does going on 50 or 60-yard one-two runs up the field come to mind? Not to mention kicking the odd score and nearly the odd goal?
Mark White is all of those things put together. At six foot five inches tall, he towers over most players. He personifies the new age of the modern goalkeeper, almost like another outfield player for Martin O’Brien’s club team. His runs are really dangerous for opposition as it creates a constant overlap if he continues his run. Many opponents have resorted to the dark arts to stop these runs, for example a third-man tackle behind the ref’s eye or a simple foul to slow the game down. No doubt, White will be key to Clon if they hope to go all the way next year.
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David Buckley (Newcestown)
2023 was an historic season with three doubles over all the grades, however the most impressive has to be Newcestown at the second highest grade in the county. They beat Blarney 3-17 to 0-24 after a replay to win the senior A hurling crown, and Newcestown then set their eyes on a historic double, up against Dohenys in the county football final. This is where former Cork U20 David Buckley took over. He was the top scorer for not just Newcestown but the entire grade with 0-37 in six games with 17 from play; it also made him the top scorer from play in the competition. Buckley is used to performing on the big stage with his county, scoring 0-10 and sealing a win for the Rebels against Kerry in the U20 Munster final a few years back. This county final was no different, Buckley coming good when it mattered most, outscoring the whole Dohenys team with nine points for him to their eight. No doubt Buckley will have to reach the same high standards next year as Newcestown have been drawing in a tough Premier SFC group that includes county runners-up Nemo Rangers.
David Buckley with the cup and the man-of-the-match trophy after Newcestown's county final win.
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Cathal Maguire (Castlehaven)
After Castlehaven’s county run they set their sights on the Munster championship, and a quarter-final clash against Banner side Cratloe in Pairc Ui Chaoimh where the Haven were pushed to extra time, just narrowly winning 1-12 to 0-11. They advanced to the semi-final against Déise steam Rathgormack; they breezed past them booking them a place in the Munster final at the Gaelic Grounds against Dingle who had Kerry sharpshooter Paul Geaney leading their charge. It was a treacherous day in Limerick city, gale-force winds and heavy rain showers blew towards the city terrace, but this didn’t dampen Haven’s spirits and especially not the spirit of former Cork U20 Cathal Maguire who kicked four points, one from a mark, and the last crucial score in the additional time of injury time to send the game to penalties and ultimately to a Castlehaven win. Could Maguire joins his brother Rory on the Cork inter-county panel for 2024 and help improve the Rebels depth in their forwards and help take the pressure off teammate Brian Hurley and Steven Sherlock?
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Jacob O’Driscoll (Valley Rovers)
Captaining your club is a great honour, but captaining your county is an even greater one. That’s the honour Valley Rovers’ Jacob O’Driscoll had this year for the Cork U20s in their campaign for the Munster title, although they did end up losing to a superb Kerry team with their star forward William Shine unstoppable on the day. O’Driscoll and Valley Rovers, managed by Paul Cronin, were in the group of death for the 2023 premier senior football championship with teams like future champions Castlehaven, Clonakilty and Carbery Rangers. Valleys had a poor start to the group, losing well to the Haven and Clon, however they cleaned up their act and won a crucial last game of the group against Ross to avoid the relegation battle. O’Driscoll impressed and earned a call up to the Cork match-day panel for their clash against Meath in the Teddy McCarthy memorial game in December. Could O’Driscoll keep his place in the squad for 2024?
