PATIENCE is a virtue for Canovee as they had to bide their time for a county premier junior title.

In 2024, they fell at the final hurdle in the championship to this year’s intermediate A winners Kilmurry. That was followed by a 2025 semi-final defeat to Buttevant.

Even going back to 2018, Canovee lost to Uibh Laoire in the Mid Cork junior A final and we’ve seen what they have done since.

Kieran Cronin’s team finally won the county title this season after a 0-10 to 0-9 victory over Cobh, in his second year in charge of his second spell. This Saturday, they face into an AIB Munster JFC quarter-final away to Parteen-Meelick of Clare (1.15pm).

Cronin felt a championship triumph was coming, largely due to their progress in the county league, where successive promotions have led them to Division 4 in 2027.

‘We’ve had some great performances and wins in Division 5. There were games along the way we had to win to get promoted. We beat Bantry Blues, Ilen Rovers and Ballinora – three big wins,’ South Kerry native Cronin explained.

‘The club is making progress and invested in a brand new gym this year, which was important in helping with the preparation of the team.

‘Rebounding and being resilient were key factors to our success. The boys have worked very hard. We set out our stall in January, and the ultimate aim was to win the county. The collective spirit and togetherness have really improved throughout the year. We’ve worked on their mindset.

‘The last two premier junior winners were in the intermediate final last weekend. That just goes to show how tough it is. You want to keep building momentum. Momentum can carry you through and keep you going in the divisions in Cork.’

A key platform for the county champions has been their defensive structure. The Muskerry side didn’t concede a goal in their county-winning campaign. In fact, the biggest score they conceded was against Inniscarra and Kilmacabea (0-10).

‘That is a serious achievement in itself. We worked on our defence. In the second league game of the year, we conceded four goals (against Millstreet). Since then, we have built on the defence layer by layer,’ Cronin added.

‘The players really upped their game with regards to strength and conditioning, led by Kevin Graham. Above all the seriousness, they have had great craic and fun along the way, which is crucially important for a group.’

A serious spinal injury ended Cronin’s playing career with Kerry at U21 level. He began managing his home club in South Kerry at 25, before working with the Kerry U21s under Jack O’Connor.

Cronin joined Canovee for his first stint in 2018. He has a brother and two sisters living in the Mid Cork village, while he has settled in Coachford. He was also involved in the Cork U20 set-up managed by Bobbie O’Dwyer and coached Aghabullogue to their intermediate A county win in 2023. He returned to manage Canovee in 2025.

‘I have family connections in Canovee. I have three siblings living here and there are nieces and nephews part of the Canovee club. I got involved again early last year,’ Cronin explained.

The Munster championship isn’t a new venture for the Muskerry club. They won the provincial championship in 2007 before winning an All-Ireland early in 2008.

Jack Kelleher, Conor Dodd, Jason Riordan and Daire McMahon have been their key scorers this season and will be hoping to take their county championship form into Munster.

‘Really looking forward to it. The lads are motivated now that we’ve got them rounded up and settled down again,’ he said.

‘Meelick are a very athletic, mobile, workmanlike team. They have Jack Kirwan, a Clare senior hurler. They move the ball at speed. We’ll have to go all the way to Clare, their home pitch. That’s the challenge ahead.’