O'Neill to take up new role with Cork hurlers
Moorefield clubman Cian O'Neill will be Head Coach with the Cork senior hurling team in the 2027 season Photo: ©INPHO/Laszlo Geczo
Former Kildare manager, Cian O’Neill, will link up with Cork senior hurlers next season, according to reports today.
Having recently brought his second stint as coach with the Kerry footballers to an end, the Newbridge man will take up a position of Head Coach alongside manager Ben O’Connor, the Irish Times and the Irish Examiner report.
The Moorefield clubman has been based in Cork for well over a decade now with wife Tammy and is the head of the Department of Sport, Leisure and Childhood Studies at MTU Cork.
The position with Cork is the latest role on a long, and hugely successful, CV.
Although primarily known for his roles in football, this won’t be his first foray into hurling. He was appointed fitness coach with the Tipperary hurlers in 2008 and, working under Liam Sheedy, helped them to three Munster titles and an All-Ireland crown in 2010.
During that time, he was also with Newtownshandrum, where current Cork manager O’Connor was a player. They won a Cork and Munster title in 2009.
After departing Tipperary, he worked with the Mayo footballers and helped them to the 2012 All-Ireland final.
He had his first stint with Kerry under Eamon Fitzmaurice and they lifted the Sam Maguire Cup together in 2014.
He left the Kingdom for his first, and to date only, inter-county role as manager with Kildare.
His four years in charge of his native county are best remembered for leading Kildare to the famous ‘Newbridge or nowhere’ win over Mayo in 2018.
After leading Kildare, he spent with a year with the Cork footballers before his next port of call was Galway. Alongside Padraic Joyce, he played a key role in getting the Tribesmen to All-Ireland finals in 2022 and 2024.
O'Neill returned to Kerry in 2025 to work with another former Kildare manager in Jack O'Connor and further enhanced his reputation as one of the game's leading coaches, helping the Kingdom to consecutive All-Ireland finals and victory over Donegal in the 2025 decider.
Following his departure from Kerry, O'Connor quickly moved to bring him into the Cork set-up.
Cork have reached two of the last three All-Ireland finals but remain without a title since 2005. O'Connor will hope the addition of one of the most respected coaches in the GAA can help bridge that final gap.
