Cork County set sights on building momentum for 2026 campaign
CORK COUNTY
- Captain: Diarmuid Carey
- Overseas Professional: Josh Hartill (New Town CC, Tasmania)
- In: William Shields, Josh Hartill
- Out: Mark Andrianatos
- Players to Watch: Mark Donnelly, William Shields, Cronan Healy Browne
Cork County Cricket Club enter the 2026 season with a sense of continuity and ambition following a successful year for the Mardyke club. After securing a Munster Senior Treble and retaining their status in the Leinster Premier League, the side is looking to establish itself further at the top level of Irish cricket.
Club Captain Diarmuid Carey will lead a squad that remains largely unchanged from the group that narrowly lost the All Ireland T20 final last summer. The club has bolstered its ranks with two key additions while bidding farewell to Mark Andrianatos.
Squad Changes:
The primary addition to the senior ranks is the new overseas professional, Josh Hartill. A wicketkeeper batsman, Hartill arrives at the Mardyke as he finishes a season with New Town Cricket Club in Tasmanian Grade Cricket. He brings valuable experience to the squad, having previously completed an overseas stint in the Netherlands with Dutch side Dosti. He is expected to play a prominent role in the top order and behind the stumps.
The club has also secured the signing of William Shields. A promising young left arm seam bowler, Shields adds a different dimension to the County attack and is named as one of the players to watch for the coming season.
Captain’s Perspective:
Reflecting on the progress of the squad, Club Captain Diarmuid Carey is optimistic about the depth of talent available at the Mardyke.
"Last season was hugely successful for Cork County with the 1st XI winning a Munster Senior Treble, retaining Leinster Premier League status and narrowly losing an All Ireland T20 final to Instonians," Carey noted.
"We have a very similar squad to last season. We have a new overseas player in Josh Hartill, a promising wicketkeeper batsman from Victoria. Josh is coming on the back of a strong season recently in Tasmania and we hope he can continue his form when he touches down Leeside."
The development of home grown talent remains a priority for the club. Carey highlighted several young players who are expected to make an impact this year, including spin bowlers Mark Donnelly and Cronan Healy Browne.
"We are also delighted that William Shields has joined us during the off season. William is a young left arm seam bowler who provides our attack with a point of difference. In addition to William, we are also very hopeful that Mark Donnelly and Cronan Healy Browne can continue their development as promising young spin bowlers."
Looking Ahead:
The dual challenge of competing in the Leinster Premier League and maintaining their position in Munster cricket will require consistency.
"We are under no illusions that to emulate last season’s successes will require a lot of hard work and strong performances," Carey added. "However, we have as deep a squad as Cork County have assembled in recent years to be in a position to compete on both fronts."
With improvements to their pavilion and facilities, allied to their strong squad base, the future looks bright on and off the field at The Mardyke.
