NEW CORK HURLING manager Ben O’Connor has recruited renowned performance coach Gerry Hussey to work with this year’s panel.

Gary Keegan filled the sports psychologist role last season when the Rebels, then managed by Pat Ryan, claimed National League and Munster titles.

But speaking this afternoon at the launch of the Electric Ireland Higher Education Championships, Cork defender Eoin Downey confirmed that Hussey will be involved for 2026.

It’s understood that Hussey will fulfil a similar role to that which Caroline Currid recently returned to with the Limerick senior hurlers.

“He’s taking over this year as the psychologist,” said Downey of Hussey. “We’ve only met him twice, I think. In person, we’ve only met him twice. But we’ve had a few texts and voice notes and this and that.”

Full-back Downey said he expects Hussey to perform a useful role around helping players to balance their various sporting and life commitments.

“The main thing about that time aspect is just being organised with it,” said Downey, who is set to line out for UCC in the Electric Ireland Fitzgibbon Cup this evening against local rivals MTU Cork at the Mardyke (7.30pm).

“You have to be organised with it. I think our psychologist, Gerry, is very good at keeping us on top of things like that. It wouldn’t stress me out, is the way I’d put it.”

Downey may yet benefit from Hussey’s counsel around last summer’s All-Ireland final too, and how it panned out for the Glen Rovers defender personally.

Downey, an All-Star in 2024, picked up two bookings in the final loss to Tipperary and was sent off in the 54th minute. He received his second yellow card for pulling down Tipp’s John McGrath, a foul that led to a penalty that Darragh McCarthy converted.

Afterwards, various rumours did the rounds about a half-time dressing-room dispute, all of which compounded the agony of Downey’s situation.

Asked if he has, or will, speak to Hussey about his personal situation, Downey shook his head.

“I’ve moved on, to be honest,” he said. “Now, I have no doubt it might come up. But it doesn’t linger with me anymore, do you know what I mean? So I won’t be bringing it up on purpose, if you know what I mean.

“But, look, it was a tough challenge to face, being sent off in an All-Ireland final at 22 years of age. I just think it has to be used as fuel for the coming year, and can’t be used as a negative. I think if I just put it that way, as a negative, I’d only be going backwards. So there’s no point dwelling on the past, just use it as fuel and push on to the future.”

Whatever way this evening’s Group B Fitzgibbon Cup opener goes for UCC, Downey will be back training with Cork on Saturday morning. He isn’t overly concerned about missing chunks of inter-county activity due to third level commitments.

“There’s a fight for competition in the Cork dressing-room at all times, whether that’s December or it’s the end of July,” said Downey. “That’s always the way it is. I think Ben, in fairness to him, is very good that way and tries to keep everything fair. So as much as you’d be nervous, you’d be happy with the way Ben is carrying things out.”