Opening games in a provincial under-21 football championship don’t come much bigger than Cork against Kerry.This evening’s quarter-final in Tralee is their third successive clash in the Munster championship, Cork winning the last two by a point, while also claiming the last three Munster titles.
Kerry, managed by former All-Ireland winner Darragh Ó Sé, include four players that started against Cork last year; Shane Murphy, Tadhg Morley, Shaun Keane, and centre back Pádraig Ó Sé – son of the late Páidí Ó Sé.
Kieran Murphy was also introduced as a sub last year, but as agreed with Kerry senior manager Eamonn Fitzmaurice, Ó Sé hasn’t included any players on the senior panel.
Cork went on to contest last year’s All-Ireland under-21 final, losing to Galway. Now under a new manager, Seán Hayes, there are six players back from that team; Conor Dorman, Brian O’Driscoll, Seán Kiely, Ian Maguire, Mark Sugrue and Dan Mac Eoin.
Whoever wins has the added incentive of a home tie against Limerick next Wednesday,
Tipperary, who lost the Munster final to Cork last year, face Waterford in the other quarter-final.
Mayo begin their quest for a first Connacht under-21 title since 2009 with a preliminary round game against Roscommon – and include five of the All-Ireland winning minors of last year: Stephen Coen, Pádraic Prendergast, Diarmuid O’Connor, Matthew Flanagan and Michael Plunkett.
In Ulster, Cavan begin their quest for a fourth Ulster under-21 title in succession with a preliminary round clash with Derry at Celtic Park, while in Leinster, Meath and Louth meet in a quarter-final replay, at Páirc Tailteann.
