Sheedy shows his class as Cork progress
Scorer in chief for Cork Minor footballers’ last Thursday in their victory over old rivals Kerry in their Munster quarter-final championship encounter was Dara Sheedy, a young man with connections to The Avondhu area. Lighting up proceedings with his delightful touch and elusive style, he registered 1-5 of the Cork tally, including 2 pointed frees.
Opening the scoring for the Rebels in Páirc Uí Chaoimh, Sheedy from Bantry Blues would register four first half points, adding a spectacular goal shortly after the resumption to settle nerves, the home side narrowly leading 1-8 to 0-9 at the interval.
Dara is son of Diarmuid Sheedy, formerly of Fermoy Road, Mitchelstown and Ballygiblin Hurling Club, now residing in Bantry, Co Cork. His mother Eva’s (nee McCarthy) uncle was Kevin Ger O’Sullivan, who won a senior All-Ireland football medal with Cork in 1973, a team captained by Billy Morgan. So certainly plenty of pedigree there.
Not to be outdone in the sporting arena, Dara’s brother, Jack played with the county’s U16 hurling team approximately 2 years ago.
Dara’s uncle and godfather, Padraig Sheedy won a North Cork U17 football medal with Mitchelstown and an U17 hurling medal with Ballygiblin. While his grandfather Gerry (Gerald) Sheedy, Fermoy Road, Mitchelstown and formerly of Ballinamona, Shanballymore played hurling with the village side’s Intermediates and Juniors, captaining Shanballymore to North Cork Junior B championship glory in 1965. He also won a county senior runners-up medal with Avondhu in 1961, when they lost to Blackrock 4-10 to 3-07 at the Cork Athletic Grounds.
The Cork Minor’s grandmother, on the Sheedy side of the family, was the late Carmel Sheedy from Fermoy Road, Mitchelstown, with Bridget McCarthy being his other grandmother.
The young Bantry maestro completed his scoring when adding a further point to the Rebels’ tally late in the second half, to see his side progress 2-12 to 0-14 and move into a home semi-final tie against Tipperary.
Team: Billy Curtin (Valley Rovers), Liam Hourihan (St Colums), Frank Hurley (O’Donovan Rossa), Matthew Ahern (St Finbarrs), Odhran Foley (Bishopstown), Gearoid Daly (Mallow - joint captain), Trevor Kiely (Doneraile), Mark Hetherington (St Finbarrs), Darragh Clifford (Eire Og), Timothy Cullinane (Ballinascarthy), Dara Sheedy (Bantry Blues), David O’Leary (Ballincollig), Denis O’Mullane (Kilmurry), Sean Coakley (Douglas - joint captain), Garry Holland (Bishopstown). Subs used: Oier O’Callaghan (Liscarroll Churchtown Gaels), Mark O’Brien (Ballinora), James O’Leary (Douglas), Keith McCarthy (Dohenys/Sam Maguire), Adam Dineen (Cill na Martra).
Extended panel: Devin Fray (Mallow), Sean O’Leary (Kilmurry), James O’Riordan (Croke Rovers, Castlemagner), Cian O’Sullivan (St Finbarrs), Rickey Barrett (St Finbarrs), Jack Cullinane (Bandon), Joe Lyons (Nemo Rangers), Oisin McCarthy (Valley Rovers), Owen McCarthy (Clondrohid), Cathal Mullins (Mallow), Diarmuid O’Brien (Glanworth), Niall O’Shea (Urhan), Tom O’Connor (Adrigole), Luke Shorten (Tadgh Mac Carthaigh), Cillian Twohig (Kilmeen), Cathal Walsh (Mitchelstown).