EXPERIENCED DUO MICHAEL Shields and Ken O\u2019Halloran will return to the Cork football winter training squad as preparations for the 2017 season begin.<\/p>\n
The42<\/em> understands that former captain Shields and goalkeeper O\u2019Halloran will link up again with the Rebels setup, along with attacker Donal \u00d3g Hodnett.<\/p>\n The three players all departed during the 2016 campaign but their availability now is a boost to Peadar Healy and his management team.<\/p>\n Cork, who exited the championship in a Round 4 qualifier against Donegal in July, are officially eligible to return to training for next season on 1 December with players currently in pre-season gym work.<\/p>\n The management are yet to finalise their entire panel for the coming season but will be planning without Fintan Goold,\u00a0who announced his retirement today, and Daniel Goulding,\u00a0who revealed he was ending his inter-county career a fortnight ago.<\/p>\n \n Donal \u00d3g Hodnett in action against Eoin McHugh in the league last February<\/p>\n Source: Presseye\/Donna McBride\/INPHO<\/p>\n St Finbarr\u2019s player Shields and Bishopstown netminder O\u2019Halloran were released from the squad after this year\u2019s league.<\/p>\n The Cork management insisted\u00a0at the time that a breach of discipline was not behind the departure and that the pair were released back to their clubs to get more game time.<\/p>\n After Cork\u2019s Munster semi-final loss to Tipperary, they were invited back on to the panel before the qualifiers but declined to do so.\u00a030 year-old pair Shields and O\u2019Halloran both won All-Ireland medals at senior level in 2010 and U21 level in 2007.<\/p>\n