Club form key to Cork return of Clancy, Deane and O’Driscoll

BY KIERAN McCARTHY

THE impressive club form of Thomas Clancy, Ruairi Deane and Brian O’Driscoll is one of the main reasons the trio have all been recalled to the Cork senior football panel.

Cork boss John Cleary has made some notable additions to his squad for the new campaign, as he prepares for his first full season in charge.

Clonakilty defender Clancy (30), Bantry Blues clubman Deane (31) and Tadhg MacCarthaigh’s O’Driscoll (28) have all had previous spells with the senior panel – Deane, the longest, up until the end of the 2021 season – and all three are now part of Cleary’s plans for 2023.

Castlehaven’s Cathal Maguire has also been added to the squad, off the back of his strong performances with his club in the 2022 county championship, with boss John Cleary explaining that club form was key in piecing together his panel.

Castlehaven's Cathal Maguire is in with the Cork senior football panel.

‘When it finished last season we said anyone that would perform in the county championship would definitely be looked at – and that’s what we did. We scouted around, had people at the games in the championship. When we sat down to pick our panel those guys were in good form, they performed very well in the championship and we felt they were good enough to be part of the panel going forward,’ said Cleary, with Clancy, Deane and O’Driscoll all adding plenty of experience.

‘They have experience and that helps, but it’s their form that got them in, and when you throw the experience in on that it was a no-brainer to bring them in. 

‘They have been through this before so they don’t need that extra time to adapt, they know what’s needed. They have come in training and fitting in seamlessly. When the games start, with the experience they have, that will help.’

Ahead of the 2023 season, Cork are working with a panel of 43 players, with Darragh Moynihan (Mallow), Alan Quinn (Macroom), Darragh Cashman (Millstreet) and Liam O’Connell (Ballincollig) also called into the squad. Clonakilty’s Liam O’Donovan is also back in full training after missing the entire 2022 inter-county season through injury.

‘Hopefully we will see a good bit of Liam in 2023,’ Cleary added.