Former Cork star Ronan Curran to coach Ballincollig hurlers next season

Former Cork hurler Ronan Curran will coach the Ballincollig hurlers for the 2025 season.

The two-time All-Ireland winning Rebel centre-back is seen as a major coup for the club with the Togher native no stranger to management since hanging up his boots. He first took charge of the St Finbarr’s first team over six years ago. They came up short to Blackrock in the 2018 county quarter-final and eventual champions Imokilly in the 2019 county semi-final.

He then coached Kanturk to the SAHC semi-final in 2020 before returning to the Barrs job for two campaigns. Curran was a selector with the Cork U20 hurlers when they won Munster and All-Ireland titles in 2023. Curran works in the heart of Ballincollig at Mycro Sportsgear.

Ballincollig's Cian O'Driscoll holds off Mallow's Ronan Sheehan during the Co-Op SuperStores Cork PIHC at Ballyanly this year. Picture: Eddie O'Hare

Curran will be under manager Eamon Keating who replaces Danny Dwyer. The new boss would have a very good understanding of the current crop of players having been involved with them coming up through the underage ranks. He is the father of a key player on the team Brian Keating.

Also on the management ticket are Dave Collins and Frank Daly as selectors with Éamonn Murphy of this parish and Noel Hurley in the backroom team.

Ballincollig have been the nearly men in the Co-Op SuperStores PIHC in recent years, losing by a point to Kilworth and Carrigaline at the semi-final stage in the last two seasons.

Also, Podsie O’Mahony is remaining on as Ballincollig football manager for next year.

The former Cork footballer was appointed as boss before the 2020 campaign, replacing Tom Dorgan in the winter of 2019.

Ballincollig football manager Podsie O'Mahony. Picture: Eddie O'Hare

Ballincollig have made progress during his tenure so far in what has been a transitional period for the Muskerry team with O’Mahony integrating a lot of younger players during his time in charge including his own son Darragh O'Mahony.

Ballincollig have qualified for the business end of the McCarthy Insurance Group Premier SFC in four of the five campaigns under O’Mahony with 2021 being the exception. They have reached one semi-final which was in 2022 when they lost to eventual winners Nemo Rangers.

The 2025 Cork GAA championship draws will take place next Tuesday at SuperValu Páirc Uí Chaoimh at 6pm.

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