Cork GAA have appointed Munster Rugby's Aidan O'Connell as their new High Performance Manager.
O’Connell will be responsible for all high performance matters within the Rebel County across all county teams in hurling and football at all age grades "to develop and strengthen strategies relating to player development within the organisation".
The Ballyclough man has been with Munster Rugby since 2004, also working with Cork’s footballers from 2008 to 2012, a period which included the 2010 All-Ireland title win – the county’s last at senior level.
The appointment process was overseen by a high-powered committee including Cork GAA CEO, Kevin O'Donovan, former Kildare manager Cian O'Neill of CIT, past Rebel bosses Brian Cuthbert and Kieran Kingston, and Doug Howlett, formerly of New Zealand and Munster Rugby.
O’Connell has 17 years’ experience in coaching and his previous employers also include Leinster Rugby and the IRFU.
"The position of High Performance Manager will be a vital one in ensuring that we maximise the achievement of our inter-county teams in an increasingly demanding and competitive environment," said Cork GAA Chairperson Tracey Kennedy
"He has come through a rigorous interview process, and we are very lucky to have secured his services."
The high performance position is part-funded by Cork GAA and fans’ fund-raising group Cáirde Chorcaí.
Speaking on the RTÉ GAA Podcast recently, Cork legend Dónal Óg Cusack said that this appointment was key for the Rebels.
He said: "The high performance manager is the most important appointment that Cork are going to make for the next while.
"You'd be coaching the managers, putting in systematic methodologies to ensure high performance, so it’s not like coaching out on the field. It would be the person working on the methodologies towards the likes of skills development."
