Last Man Standing: Who will replace Donal Og Cusack in the championship

 

1. Anthony Nash (Kanturk)
Nash replaced Cusack on Sunday afternoon and impressed with a couple of fine saves as well as registering a point from a long-range free. Nash, who will be 28 next October, has accumulated a wealth of inter-county experience at minor, U21 and intermediate level. He won an All-Ireland MHC medal in 2001, as a substitute goalkeeper to current senior compatriot Martin Coleman, a Munster U21HC medal in 2005 and has also claimed four All-Ireland IHC medals with Cork. Nash’s senior experience has been restricted to league appearances but he was also drafted in for his inter-county championship debut for the 2007 Munster SHC semi-final defeat to Waterford when Cusack was suspended after the infamous ‘Semple-gate affair’ that erupted after their provincial SHC quarter-final against Clare. The Kanturk netminder, a teacher in the Presentation Convent Secondary School in Mitchelstown, is an excellent shot-stopper and also won a Fitzgibbon Cup medal with UCC in 2009.

 

2. Martin Coleman (Ballinhassig)
Coleman will challenge Nash strongly for a starting place as Cork senior goalkeeper this season. The 29 year-old first stepped into the inter-county arena at minor level and lined out in Croke Park when Cork claimed the All-Ireland MHC crown against Galway in 2001. Coleman was part of a star-studded Cork side that day which included John Gardiner, Tomás O’Leary and Setanta Ó hAilpín. He went on to graduate to the senior inter-county hurling stage serving as deputy to Cusack when Cork won All-Ireland titles in 2004 and 2005. Since then Coleman has had to be patient serving time on the Cork bench. He did feature in the senior championship in 2008 when brought on as a substitute in the All-Ireland qualifier against Galway in Semple Stadium after Cusack had been sent-off but otherwise he has had to be content with league appearances. Coleman, who is employed by the Cork county board as a Games Development Administrator, reached the All-Ireland Club IHC final with his club Ballinhassig in 2006 but they were defeated by Kilkenny outfit Dicksboro. He also has lined out for Cork IT in the Fitzgibbon Cup.

 

3. Darren McCarthy (Ballymartle)
As Cusack is now sidelined for the season, there is a vacancy for a third goalkeeping spot in the Cork panel. With Ken O’Halloran, Cork minor hurling goalkeeper in 2004 and U21 hurling goalkeeper from 2005 to 2007, concentrating on football commitments with Conor Counihan’s senior squad, McCarthy is the most likely replacement. He has been involved on a temporary basis in training with the senior setup previously and has showcased his goalkeeping abilities already this season while starting on the UCC Fitzgibbon Cup winning side last month. McCarthy, who was selected in the goalkeeping position in the third-level hurling future champions awards recently, has represented Cork frequently at inter-county level. He was the Cork minor netminder in 2007, when they were defeated in the All-Ireland decider by Tipperary, and 2008 before tasting action at U21 level in 2010 and 2011. McCarthy’s hurling talent and versatility have been evidenced at club level where he plays outfield. Indeed it was his dramatic injury-time goal from his midfield berth that secured a famous All-Ireland Club IHC title for Ballymartle in February 2011 against Kilkenny’s Dicksboro.

Source: http://feeds.examiner.ie/~r/iesportsblog/~3/7ydzdggjc9I/post.aspx

Tim Cahill England cricket team US constitution and civil liberties Mafia La Liga Norway