By Damian Lawlor

Cork teams have made it through to the finals stage of this year’s Bank of Ireland Celtic Challenge, highlighting once again the huge work being undertaken at developmental level in the county.

In total, four All-Ireland under-17 Bank of Ireland Celtic Challenge finals take place at Bord Na Mona O’Connor Park this Saturday in what promises to be a fascinating day’s hurling.

The Bank of Ireland Celtic Challenge was introduced in 2016 as the national hurling development competition for 16 and 17-year old hurlers who are not sitting Leaving Certificate examinations.

Since its inception it has grown in both prominence and structure.

For 2018, a total of 41 teams from all 32 counties took part across eight groups - that are determined on a geographical and developmental basis - and featured county as well as regional teams. In total 26 county teams and 15 sides represented regions from within counties such as Dublin Plunkett and Limerick Sarsfields.

On Saturday West Cork take on South Tipperary in the John Scott Cup final. The Corn Michael Hogan final (Div.1) takes place after that featuring Galway McDonagh and East Cork

Paudie O’Brien,​ Games Development Administrator for Cork City Southside says that giving young players the opportunity to play to a high level is their key goal.

“In Cork, we believe in giving as many players as possible the opportunity of playing at the highest level they are capable of. By entering four regional teams in the Celtic Challenge it allowed over 100 players their chance to play against teams from Munster and beyond. The group format which gives the lads four to five games is a huge success and helps these young lads in their development on and off the field.”

On Sunday the senior team take on Clare in the Munster final, filled with players from all over the county.

This is no surprise according to O’Brien who says that there has always been a geographical spread when it comes to Cork hurling.

“Down through the years Cork City and East Cork have been hurling strongholds but we have always had players from other regions that without whom we would never have won All Irelands in the 70s. The likes of Mick Malone from Eire Og and Tim Crowley (Newcestown). In the 1980s and 90s Sean O Gorman from Milford was there as was Fergal McCormack and in the noughties we had the O'Connor brothers from Newtownshandrum plus many others. All of these players increased the profile of hurling in their regions. Add in the hard work of club coaches and the development squad system and we have increased the chances of players from lesser known clubs reaching new heights.”

O’Brien feels that Sunday is a huge day for the county.

“A successful Cork senior team increases the profile of our game in the county,” he says.

“Young lads are talking about hurling, they are carrying their hurleys with them everywhere they go. Success breeds success. We can see it in our Cul Camp figures which are growing every year. This year we will have over 17,000 children attending. For our young lads playing Celtic Challenge this year, to see the Cork Senior Hurling Manager John Meyler attending games has been a huge boost for them.

“Not alone have the current senior team come through our development programme but so too have a lot of the management team. For young lads involved in squads they can see a pathway to senior ranks. But it’s also important for lads to see the late developers are being recognised players like Seamus Harnedy and Mark Coleman were good underage players who have developed into excellent adult players from hard work and dedication.

Ultimately the goal would be to win All Irelands but every county in Munster want to beat their neighbours. When you are living in Cork you have borders with every county in Munster bar Clare and winning Munster titles gives you the bragging rights for 12 months.”

It promises to be a huge weekend for the county with two Celtic Challenge and a Munster senior final up for grabs. It just shows how the development work is paying dividends.