Cork great Ben O'Connor to be appointed as new Rebel U20 boss

The Cork executive are set to propose county legend Ben O'Connor as new Under-20 hurling manager, succeeding current senior boss Pat Ryan.

O'Connor's appointment is to be ratified at a meeting next week, with Anthony Nash and Ronan Curran joining as selectors, alongside Midleton's Terence McCarthy and St Finbarr's Ger O'Regan.

"We are delighted that Ben has come on board to oversee such an important age group. No doubt, the development of our players is in safe hands," said Cork chairman Marc Sheehan.

The Newtownshandrum man replaces Pat Ryan as U20 boss, the latter having been elevated to the senior role in July, having managed the Cork U20s to successive All-Ireland titles in 2020 and 2021 (both won in the calendar year of 2021).

O'Connor, one of the great Cork hurlers of the noughties, enters the inter-county set-up with a strong coaching pedigree at club level, having coached Midleton - under manager Ger Fitzgerald - to the Cork Premier Senior hurling title in 2021.

He was previously involved with the Charleville side which won the Cork intermediate title in 2018.

In a glittering playing career, O'Connor won three All-Ireland titles with Cork in 1999, 2004 and 2005, captaining the side in '04. He collected All-Star awards in 2005 and 2008, eventually retiring from the inter-county scene in 2012.

At club level, O'Connor was part of Newtownshandrum side which won the All-Ireland club title in 2004, the last Cork team to do so, capturing county titles in 2000, 2003, 2005 and 2009.