AFTER PLAYING STARRING roles in recent title wins for their clubs, young Cork forward duo Alan Connolly and Shane Barrett have both received call ups to the county’s senior hurling setup as they build up to their Munster semi-final against Waterford.
Connolly was outstanding for Blackrock as they ended an 18-year wait for Cork senior hurling glory last Sunday week, scoring 0-13 in the final win over Glen Rovers. Barrett impressed for his club Blarney as they won the county premier intermediate final the previous night as he hit 0-2.
The pair, along with Na Piarsaigh’s Daire Connery who is also part of the senior training squad, have a busy schedule ahead as they will also be important figures for the Cork U20 team.
The Pat Ryan-managed side play Kerry in the Munster quarter-final next Monday 19 October in Tralee at 6.30pm with the winners playing a semi-final against Limerick the following week on 26 October. Cork senior boss Kieran Kingston will take his team into action in Semple Stadium on 31 October with a throw-in time of 3.30pm.
The addition of the young attacking pair illustrates how the club championship was a shop window for emerging talent in a much-changed 2020 season. Connolly, a Cork minor played in 2018 when the grade first moved to U17, has lit up the senior club championship in recent weeks.
He fired 1-6 in the quarter-final win over Douglas and struck 1-7 in the semi-final against UCC. In both that last four clash and the final against Glen Rovers, the young free-taker held his nerve to convert the placed balls that sent the games to extra-time.
Barrett lined out for UCC in that senior semi-final and scored 0-3. He was also part of the Cork minor setup in 2018 and helped CBC Cork reach the Dr Harty Cup final in 2019.
They are joined in the current U20 training squad by other successful club colleagues in Blackrock forward Robbie Cotter and the Blarney duo of Padraig Power and Declan O’Hanlon. Cotter came off the bench in that recent Cork senior final and scored 2-2 from play.
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Connolly had a serious court final. Mad or take on the man nearly every ball. Could be a serious find, in time.