RUAIRI Deane has committed to the Cork football cause again for 2026.

The Bantry Blues stalwart has been involved with the Cork senior set-up since 2014, making him one of the most experienced players in the panel.

While the 34-year-old is one of the elder statesmen of John Cleary’s squad, the Rebels boss confirmed Deane will be back again next season.

‘Ruairi has committed for 2026,’ Cleary tells this week’s Star Sport Podcast.

‘He hasn’t had a lot of luck with injuries last season, he is back in training. Hopefully he can avoid injury next year, and we’re delighted to have him back again.’

Cork will plan for 2026 without Australia-bound Sean Powter, as well as Chris Kelly, Neil Lordan, Briain Murphy and Cathal Maguire, so there are spots in the panel up for grabs.   

At the moment, Cork have 46 players training, including a number of West Cork’s top young guns, as Cleary plans for the new season.

‘Chris Kelly and Neil Lordan are going travelling. Briain Murphy and Cathal Maguire were on our panel last year, but are not in this year,’ Cleary confirmed.

‘We haven’t really formalised our panel; we have about 46 in training at the moment between the main squad and the development squad. Some of the U20s from last year are in.

‘We are working off a pretty big squad at the moment – some guys are coming back off injuries, we have some guys who aren’t back at all after the club season, notably the Barrs lads. 

‘Young lads like Dara Sheedy, Conor Daly, Thomas O’Mahony, Darragh Newman, Paddy O’Driscoll, Mark O’Sullivan, Richard O’Sullivan are some West Cork guys training with us at the moment, but we haven’t finalised the panel. We will do that after Christmas. We are anxious to have a look at as many players as we can at the moment. At the moment it’s pretty fluid.’