Moore couldn't say no to Cork

Carbery Rangers clubman excited about role with U20 Rebels

MAURICE Moore admits he couldn’t say no when Keith Ricken asked him to get involved with the Cork U20 footballers this season.

The Carbery Rangers clubman has joined Ricken’s management team that also includes former Cork senior footballers Micheál Ó Cróinín (Naomh Abán) and Colm O’Neill (Ballyclough) as well as Pat Spratt (Buttavent).

Tadhg MacCarthaigh’s Gene O’Driscoll was the Cork U20 boss but stepped down in mid-January, so the county board had to assemble a new management team, with Moore given the nod to be involved.

‘I was thrilled when Keith came knocking at my door,’ Moore told The Southern Star.

‘I had worked with him before in various underage coaching roles and always had good experiences with him. It is an exciting prospect to get an opportunity to work with the county’s best U20 and would energise you.

‘I hadn’t intended to get involved with anything specific this year but it is hard to say no when Cork GAA asks you to get involved and with such an important age-grade. 

‘There is no doubt in my mind that there is talent in this county. I believe this management team will make the players excited about putting on the red jersey and have a really positive effect on Cork football in general.’

The 43-year old believes there are a number of key milestones for the Cork U20s to achieve before taking the field for their upcoming Munster championship campaign. 

‘Number one is to get access to and bring together the county’s best U20 players,’ Moore stated.

‘The fact that the U20 championship has been pushed out until July is going to work in our favour. Keith’s team wants to put our stamp on how we want to play. One look at who is involved, Pat Spratt, Colm O’Neill and Micheál Ó Cróinín, who each has a wide array of football experience and will bring plenty to the table.

‘It is a case of getting the players to believe in the positive way we want to play and get them to carry that out on the pitch. If we can do that then we will go a long way to achieving the goals we have set the Cork U20 panel.’

Whilst the Cork U20 panel is far from complete, Moore would like to see as many West Cork players as possible making an impact at the inter-county grade.

‘In fairness to Keith, he doesn’t believe in giving guys one shot at making the inter-county panel,’ the former Carbery Rangers footballer commented.

‘When called upon, Keith believes fellas should have three or four opportunities to show what they can do. I think that is very fair. That approach will show us what’s available to us in terms of quality not just in West Cork but throughout the county.

‘We are trawling clubs, talking to coaches and club officials, attending numerous games. Our job is to get the players performing to the best of their ability. I’d like to see us opening players’ vision lines to more kicking variations and not being overly reliant on the hand passing. That would allow us become more effective in our attacking play.’

The Skibbereen Community School Secondary School teacher and sports injury therapist is no stranger to success on the field either. Moore won a Cork JAFC in 2003, county SFC medal with the Carbery division in 2004 and Cork IFC title in 2005 with Carbery Rangers. He was also part of the Ross management team that masterminded the club’s historic 2016 Cork SFC triumph.

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