DAMIEN CAHALANE WILL make his Cork senior football debut on Sunday after being named at left corner-back in their team for the McGrath Cup opener against third-level outfit CIT.
The son of former county All-Ireland winning defender Niall was involved last season with Jimmy Barry-Murphy’s Cork hurling squad and featured in their qualifier win over Wexford last summer.
But he has shown exceptional football promise as part of the Cork minor team that reached the All-Ireland final in 2010, on the county U21 teams that have won the last two Munster titles and for the Castlehaven side that won last year’s county senior title.
Cahalane is selected on an experimental team named by manager Conor Counihan with injuries, college commitments and holidays ruling out several established players.
There are four players who started in last August’s All-Ireland semi-final loss to Donegal – Michael Shields, Paul Kerrigan, Colm O’Neill and Alan O’Connor. Denis O’Sullivan and Pearse O’Neill were both drafted on as substitutes during that game while David Lordan, Conor O’Driscoll, Sean Kiely and Liam Shorten were all involved as panelists last year.
Apart from Cahalane, the other newcomers are 2009 All-Ireland U21 medal winner John McLoughlin at corner-back, 2007 All-Ireland U21 winning captain Andrew O’Sullivan at midfield and wing-forward Odhran Mulrooney who has previous experience with the Cork junior side.
CORK SF: 1. David Lordan (Ballincollig); 2. John McLoughlin (Kanturk), 3. Michael Shields (St Finbarr’s), 4. Damien Cahalane (Castlehaven); 5. Denis O’Sullivan (Ballinascarthy), 6. Conor O’Driscoll (Ilen Rovers), 7. Sean Kiely (Macroom); 8. Pearse O’Neill (Aghada), 9. Andrew O’Sullivan (Castletownbere); 10. James Fitzpatrick (Carbery Rangers), 11. Paul Kerrigan (Nemo Rangers), 12. Odhran Mulrooney (Douglas); 13. Colm O’Neill (Balyclough), 14. Alan O’Connor (St Colum’s), 15. Liam Shorten (Béal Áthan Ghaorthaidh).
Subs: 16. Ken O’Halloran (Bishopstown), 17. Paudie Kissane (Clyda Rovers), 18. Shane Beston (Mitchelstown), 19. Noel O’Leary (Cill na Martra), 20. Chris O’Donovan (Valley Rovers), 21. Donncha O’Connor (Ballydesmond).
