Cork midfielder Colm O’Callaghan says “hitting the ground running” will be crucial for the Rebels next season as they target promotion from Division 2 of the Allianz Football League.

John Cleary’s side finished fifth in the second tier of the league this past spring before losing out to Kerry in the Munster SFC semi-finals (after extra time) and exiting the All-Ireland SFC at the preliminary quarter-final stage at the hands of Dublin.

Speaking to EchoLive.co.uk this week, O’Callaghan says he’s delighted to see Cleary staying on with the team and says that getting up to Division 1 for 2027 must be a priority for the group.

“John (Cleary) is on for another two years, it’s great,” he stated. “We’re delighted with that because we 100 per cent back John all the way and even the management team he has behind him. If you’re starting pre-season from scratch again, you don’t know if you’re coming or going. So it’s great to have the same lads in again and hopefully we can just really build on the last three years.

“We know hitting the ground running will be crucial next year. The first goal of every year really is going to be the league because that’s the first step.

“Promotion has to be a priority as it has been in the last two or three years. But we need to push on next year because you can only be the best if you’re playing against the best and that comes from playing games in Division 1.

“You saw how good Division 1 was this year. I think the new rules have definitely opened that up a bit as well. So yeah, just getting out of Division 2 is definitely a priority in 2026.” 

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