Diarmuid O'Sullivan
Encyclopedia
Diarmuid O'Sullivan is an Irish
sportsperson. He plays hurling
with his local club Cloyne
and was a dual player
with the Cork senior inter-county teams at various times from 1997 until 2008. O'Sullivan is regarded as one of Cork's greatest-ever players.
, County Cork
in 1978. He was educated at the local national school in Cloyne village and later attended nearby Midleton
CBS
. It was here that his hurling talents first came to the fore. O'Sullivan quickly became a key fixture on the school's senior hurling team and, in 1995, he landed a Dr. Harty Cup
title - the Munster senior colleges' hurling title. Midleton CBS later qualified for the All-Ireland colleges' final with St. Raphael's of Loughrea
providing the opposition. An exciting game developed, however, at the full-time whistle St. Raphael's were the champions by 3-10 to 3-5. A personal tally of 3-1 by Joe Deane
was not enough to prevent the defeat.
and has had some success with the club. He has annexed a number of East Cork hurling and football titles, however, it was as a member of the Imokilly
divisional side in 1997 that he enjoyed his greatest success to date. That year O'Sullivan lined out in the final of the county senior championship
with Sarsfield's providing the opposition. A thrilling 1-18 to 2-12 victory gave Imokilly the title and gave O'Sullivan a coveted county senior championship winners' medal.
1997 also saw O'Sullivan taste victory with Cloyne. The club reached the county final of the county intermediate championship
that year, with Delanys providing the opposition. The final whistle in that game saw Cloyne claim a merited 1-12 to 1-7 victory, giving O'Sullivan a county intermediate championship winners' medal. This victory allowed Cloyne to join the ranks of the senior county championship
in 1998.
By 2004 Cloyne had consolidate their position in the senior ranks and even reached the final. Na Piarsaigh
provided the opposition, however, O'Sullivan's side were no match for the city side. A great second-half display saw O'Sullivan end up on the wrong side of a 0-17 to 0-10 defeat.
In 2005 Cloyne set out to avenge the previous year's defeat and reached the county final again. Newtownshandrum
were the opponents on that occasion, however, Cloyne were still off the pace. A 0-15 to 0-9 defeat saw 'Newtown' take their third county title of the decade, while O'Sullivan ended up on the losing side for a second year in-a-row.
2006 saw Cloyne reach a third successive county final. Erin's Own
were the opponents and an exciting game ensued. A thrilling game produced a score line of 2-19 to 3-14, however, for the third year in-a-row O'Sullivan ended up on the losing side.
Since that defeat Cloyne have failed to reach the championship decider of the county championship.
title in this grade when Tipperary
were defeated by a single point. It took a late goal by Timmy McCarthy
to secure a 1-11 to 0-13 victory. The subsequent All-Ireland final saw Cork take on Galway
. Cork were victorious on that occasion on a score line of 3-11 to 0-13 giving O'Sullivan a coveted All-Ireland
under-21 winners' medal.
1998 saw Cork maintaining their provincial dominance with O'Sullivan collecting a second consecutive Munster under-21 winners' medal with a 3-18 to 1-10 victory over Tipp. For the third year in-a-row Cork played in the All-Ireland final and, for the second consecutive year, O'Sullivan lined out against Galway. In a close game Cork just about secured a 2-15 to 2-10 win. It was O'Sullivan's second consecutive All-Ireland under-21 winners' medal.
providing the opposition in Páirc Uí Chaoimh
. Cork were hammered in that game by 3-18 to 1-8 as the county surrendered a seventy-five year-old unbeaten run at home.
In 1998 O'Sullivan was just nineteen years-old when he was appointed captain of the Cork senior hurling team. That year he tasted success at senior level for the first time as Cork defeated Waterford
to take the National Hurling League
title. It was a welcome return to the big time for Cork; however, success in the championship was slow in coming. Between 1997 and 1999 O'Sullivan played in every championship game for Cork and only ended up on the winning side on one occasion, a Munster quarter-final game against Limerick in 1998.
In 1999 Cork were back in their first Munster final since 1992 and O'Sullivan took back his usual full-back berth. Clare
, the team that had won three of the last four provincial titles, together with two All-Ireland titles, provided the opposition and were very much the favourites going into the game. An exciting contest unfolded with full-forward Joe Deane
scoring a key goal after an excellent pass from Seánie McGrath
. A score line of 1-15 to 0-14 gave Cork the victory and gave O'Sullivan his first senior Munster
title. Cork later defeated Offaly
in one of the games of the year to set up an All-Ireland final meeting with arch-rivals Kilkenny. A wet and windy day meant that the classic game that everyone expected failed to materialise. Both sides shot seventeen wides over the course of the seventy minutes as a young and inexperienced Cork came back from five points down to win by 0-13 to 0-12. It was Cork’s first senior All-Ireland
title since 1990 and it was O'Sullivan first. He finished off the year by claiming his first All-Star
award and was also named as the Eircell Young Hurler of the Year
.
In 2000 Cork were the favourites to retain their All-Ireland title. The team got off to a good start by retaining their Munster title, however, Tipperary
put up a good fight and lost by 0-23 to 3-12. Cork’s next game was an All-Ireland semi-final meeting with Offaly. While Cork were expected to win the game without breaking a sweat Offaly caught O'Sullivan's side on the hop and recorded a 0-19 to 0-15 win. In spite of surrendering their All-Ireland crown O'Sullivan was later honoured by collecting a second All-Star award.
While the Cork hurling team should have gone from strength to strength as a result of a solid foundation at minor and under-21 levels the opposite happened. Embarrassing defeats in 2001 and 2002 saw the Cork hurling team reach rock bottom.
In 2002 O'Sullivan became the latest Cork man to becaome a dual player
of both hurling and football. He lined out with the Cork footballers in the National Football League
and mad ehis championship debut against Kerry
in a Munster semi-final. Cork defeated Kerry in a replay of the game and later trounced Tipperary by 1-23 to 0-7 in a replay of the provincial decider. It was O'Sullivan's first Munster
football winners' medal. The subsequent All-Ireland semi-final pitted Cork against Kerry. It was an historic occasion as it was the first time that these great rivals had met in Croke Park
. Cork were trounced on a score line of 3-19 to 2-7. The year ended with the Cork hurling team going on strike. The players, who had been seeking better conditions, refused to play or train with the county again until the dispute with the county board was resolved. Had the strike failed it could have meant the end of his and his fellow teammates' careers, however, in the end the county board relented and met the demands. Although still amateur sportsmen the Cork senior hurling team were treated as professional athletes.
In 2003 Cork’s players were vindicated in taking a stand as the team reached the Munster final for the first time in three years. Waterford provided the opposition on that occasion as one of hurling’s modern rivalries began in earnest. An exciting game resulted between the two teams; however, victory went to Cork by 3-16 to 3-12. It was O'Sullivan's third Munster medal and it gave a signal that Cork were back. Deane’s side were hot favourites going into the subsequent All-Ireland semi-final against Wexford
, however, it was far from a walkover. In one of the most exciting games of the championship both sides finished level: Cork 2-20, Wexford 3-17. Both sides met again six days later with Cork making no mistake and taking the spoils on a score line of 3-17 to 2-7. This win set up an All-Ireland final meeting with Kilkenny. In another thrilling game of hurling both teams were level for much of the game, exchanging tit-for-tat scores. A Setanta Ó hAilpín
goal steadied the Cork ship, however, a Martin Comerford
goal five minutes from the end settled the game as Kilkenny went on to win by 1-14 to 1-11. Deane later added a third All-Star to his collection.
2004 saw Cork reach the Munster final once again and, for the second consecutive year, Waterford provided the opposition. In what many consider to be the greatest provincial decider of them all, both sides fought tooth-and-nail for the full seventy minutes. Cork lost the game by just a single point on a score line of Waterford 3-16, Cork 1-21. Although Cork surrendered their provincial crown they were still in with a chance of landing the All-Ireland title. After maneuvering through the qualifiers Cork reached a second consecutive All-Ireland final and, once again, Kilkenny provided the opposition. This game took on a life of its own for a number of reasons. Chief among these was the fact that Kilkenny were attempting to capture a third All-Ireland in-a-row and go one ahead of Cork in the All-Ireland roll of honour. The game was expected to be another classic; however, a damp day put an end to this. The first-half was a low-scoring affair and provided little excitement for fans. The second-half saw Cork completely take over. For the last twenty-three minutes Cork scored nine unanswered points and went on to win the game by 0-17 to 0-9. It was O'Sullivan's second All-Ireland winners' medal. A third All-Star award quickly followed.
In 2005 Cork were on form again. They won back the provincial crown that year with a 1-12 to 1-16 victory over Tipperary. It was O'Sullivan's fourth Munster winners’ medal as Cork went on the march for glory once again. In the All-Ireland semi-final against Clare their championship campaign was nearly derailed when they fell behind by seven points at the start of the second-half. A huge performance by Cork turned this deficit around and Deane’s side eventually went on to win the game by 0-16 to 0-15. While it was expected that Cork and Kilkenny would do battle again in a third consecutive All-Ireland final Galway were the surprise winners of the second semi-final. It was the first meeting of Cork and Galway in an All-Ireland final since 1990 and even more daunting was the fact that men from the west had never beaten Cork in a championship decider. Once again neither side broke away into a considerable lead, however, at the final whistle Cork were ahead by 1-21 to 1-16. For the second year in-a-row Cork were the All-Ireland champions and O'Sullivan collected his third winners’ medal. He later won a fourth All-Star award.
2006 saw Cork turn their attentions to a first three-in-a-row of All-Ireland titles since 1978. The team’s championship campaign got off to a good start with a 0-20 to 0-14 defeat of Clare in the opening round of the Munster championship. The subsequent provincial decider saw Cork take on Tipp for the second consecutive year and a 2-11 to 1-11 victory over their old rivals saw O'Sullivan win a fifth provincial winners' medals. Subsequent victories over Limerick and Waterford saw Cork qualify for their fourth consecutive All-Ireland final and for the third time Kilkenny were the opponents. Like previous encounters neither side took a considerable lead, however, Kilkenny had a vital goal from Aidan Fogarty
. Cork were in arrears coming into the final few minutes, however, Ben O'Connor
goaled for Cork. It was too little too late as ‘the Cats’ denied ‘the Rebels’ the three-in-a-row on a score line of 1-16 to 1-13.
In 2007 Cork’s championship ambitions were hampered from the beginning. The so-called Semplegate affair resulted in Seán Óg Ó hAilpín
, Donal Óg Cusack
and O'Sullivan being suspended for a crucial Munster semi-final clash with Waterford. In spite of being without three of their best players Cork put up a good fight but only lost by a goal. After maneuvering through the qualifiers Cork reached the All-Ireland quarter-final. Once again Waterford provided the opposition as the game controversially ended in a draw – 3-16 apiece. The replay was less exciting; however, it was still a good game as Waterford triumphed by 2-17 to 0-20.
In 2008 Cork were draw to play Tipperary in the Munster semi-final. It was a date that all hurling fans were looking forward to. In the lead up to the game there was speculation as to the formation of the Cork team. O'Sullivan retained his place at number three and Cork played well in the first-half, however, after the interval Tipp took over. Cork lost by six points and had to take their chances in the win of bust qualifiers. The team’s overall performance against Dublin
was less than impressive in the 1-17 to 0-15 win. Cork’s next game saw Galway, a team regarded as one of the best in the country, provided the opposition. The first-half was a poor affair with Cork’s goalkeeper, Donal Óg Cusack, being sent off. O'Sullivan, who gave away a penalty to Joe Canning
was also taken off. In the second-half, however, Cork took charge with Joe Deane giving a great display and scoring four crucial points from play to help his team to a 0-23 to 2-15 victory and a place in the All-Ireland quarter-final. Clare were the opposition on that occasion and, once again, Cork gave a poor first-half display. The second-half was a different story with Cork taking charge once again and securing a 2-19 to 2-17 victory. O'Sullivan's performance was croticised again, however, the victory allowed Cork to advance to the All-Ireland semi-final where Kilkenny provided the opposition. It was the first time that these two teams met in the championship outside of an All-Ireland final. That game was an intriguing encounter; however, ‘the Cats’ won the day by 1-23 to 0-17. In spite of the defeat and in spite of all the ctiticism he received, O'Sullivan gave one of his best displays ever. After the final whistle a visibly emotional O'Sullivan tightly gripped the crest on his red jersey, while he was comforted by Henry Shefflin
, one of his great rivals on the field of play.
On 13 May 2009 O'Sullivan confirmed his retirement from inter-county hurling. He told RTÉ
that his decision was partly based on his desire to move from his trademark full-back position. He also said he had indicated to the Cork management of his desire to play anywhere else on the field, however, they believed that if he didn't play at full-back there would not be another suitable position for him.
O Sullivan is now coaching Limerick Junior A side Stakers.
Irish people
The Irish people are an ethnic group who originate in Ireland, an island in northwestern Europe. Ireland has been populated for around 9,000 years , with the Irish people's earliest ancestors recorded having legends of being descended from groups such as the Nemedians, Fomorians, Fir Bolg, Tuatha...
sportsperson. He plays hurling
Hurling
Hurling is an outdoor team game of ancient Gaelic origin, administered by the Gaelic Athletic Association, and played with sticks called hurleys and a ball called a sliotar. Hurling is the national game of Ireland. The game has prehistoric origins, has been played for at least 3,000 years, and...
with his local club Cloyne
Cloyne GAA
Cloyne GAA club is located in the small town of Cloyne in east County Cork, Ireland. Founded in 1887 they have yet to win a Cork Senior Hurling Championship title and have the dubious distinction of losing in the last 3 finals...
and was a dual player
Dual player
Dual player or dual star is a term used in Gaelic games to describe a player who plays both Men's Gaelic football and Hurling or Ladies' Gaelic football and Camogie. The player doesn't necessarily have to play at the same standard in both sports...
with the Cork senior inter-county teams at various times from 1997 until 2008. O'Sullivan is regarded as one of Cork's greatest-ever players.
Biography
Diarmuid O'Sullivan was born in CloyneCloyne
Cloyne is a small town to the south-east of the town of Midleton in eastern County Cork, Province of Munster, Ireland. It is also a see city of the Anglican Diocese of Cork, Cloyne and Ross, while also giving its name to a Roman Catholic diocese...
, County Cork
County Cork
County Cork is a county in Ireland. It is located in the South-West Region and is also part of the province of Munster. It is named after the city of Cork . Cork County Council is the local authority for the county...
in 1978. He was educated at the local national school in Cloyne village and later attended nearby Midleton
Midleton
Midleton, historically Middleton , is a town in south-eastern County Cork, Ireland. It lies some 22 km east of Cork City on the Owenacurra River and the N25 road, which connects Cork to the port of Rosslare...
CBS
Congregation of Christian Brothers
The Congregation of Christian Brothers is a worldwide religious community within the Catholic Church, founded by Blessed Edmund Rice. The Christian Brothers, as they are commonly known, chiefly work for the evangelisation and education of youth, but are involved in many ministries, especially with...
. It was here that his hurling talents first came to the fore. O'Sullivan quickly became a key fixture on the school's senior hurling team and, in 1995, he landed a Dr. Harty Cup
Dr. Harty Cup
The Dr. Harty Cup is a hurling competition for schools in the province of Munster in Ireland. The cup is presented to the winners of the Munster Colleges Senior "A" Hurling Championship. Players have to be under the age of 19 to compete. The winning team represents Munster in the Dr. Croke Cup...
title - the Munster senior colleges' hurling title. Midleton CBS later qualified for the All-Ireland colleges' final with St. Raphael's of Loughrea
Loughrea
Loughrea is a town in County Galway, Ireland. The town lies north of a range of wooded hills, the Slieve Aughty Mountains.The town expanded in recent years as it increasingly becomes a commuter town for the city of Galway.- Name :...
providing the opposition. An exciting game developed, however, at the full-time whistle St. Raphael's were the champions by 3-10 to 3-5. A personal tally of 3-1 by Joe Deane
Joe Deane
Joe Deane is an Irish sportsperson. He plays hurling with his local club Killeagh and was a member of the Cork senior inter-county team from 1996 until 2009...
was not enough to prevent the defeat.
Club
O'Sullivan plays his local club hurling with his local club in CloyneCloyne GAA
Cloyne GAA club is located in the small town of Cloyne in east County Cork, Ireland. Founded in 1887 they have yet to win a Cork Senior Hurling Championship title and have the dubious distinction of losing in the last 3 finals...
and has had some success with the club. He has annexed a number of East Cork hurling and football titles, however, it was as a member of the Imokilly
Imokilly GAA
Imokilly GAA is a Gaelic football and Hurling division in the east of Cork, Ireland. The division includes towns such as Midleton, Cobh, and Youghal. It is one of eight divisions of Cork County Board. It organizes competitions for the clubs within the division, from Under 12 up to the adult level...
divisional side in 1997 that he enjoyed his greatest success to date. That year O'Sullivan lined out in the final of the county senior championship
Cork Senior Hurling Championship
The Evening Echo Cork County Senior Hurling Championship is an annual hurling competition organised by the Cork County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association since 1887 for the top hurling teams in the county of Cork in Ireland....
with Sarsfield's providing the opposition. A thrilling 1-18 to 2-12 victory gave Imokilly the title and gave O'Sullivan a coveted county senior championship winners' medal.
1997 also saw O'Sullivan taste victory with Cloyne. The club reached the county final of the county intermediate championship
Cork Intermediate Hurling Championship
Cork Intermediate Hurling Championship is the second-tier hurling competition organized by the Cork Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association. The winners usually will play in the senior grade the following year for the Cork Senior Hurling Championship. This championship has been played for since 1909...
that year, with Delanys providing the opposition. The final whistle in that game saw Cloyne claim a merited 1-12 to 1-7 victory, giving O'Sullivan a county intermediate championship winners' medal. This victory allowed Cloyne to join the ranks of the senior county championship
Cork Senior Hurling Championship
The Evening Echo Cork County Senior Hurling Championship is an annual hurling competition organised by the Cork County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association since 1887 for the top hurling teams in the county of Cork in Ireland....
in 1998.
By 2004 Cloyne had consolidate their position in the senior ranks and even reached the final. Na Piarsaigh
Na Piarsaigh GAA
Na Piarsaigh are a Hurling and Gaelic football club based in the north side of Cork City, Ireland. The club was founded in 1943.-Birth of the club:...
provided the opposition, however, O'Sullivan's side were no match for the city side. A great second-half display saw O'Sullivan end up on the wrong side of a 0-17 to 0-10 defeat.
In 2005 Cloyne set out to avenge the previous year's defeat and reached the county final again. Newtownshandrum
Newtownshandrum GAA
Newtownshandrum GAA is a Gaelic Athletic Association club located in the small village of Newtownshandrum in County Cork, Ireland. The club, situated in half a parish of about 800 people, was founded in 1896 and is almost exclusively concerned with the game of hurling.In senior hurling...
were the opponents on that occasion, however, Cloyne were still off the pace. A 0-15 to 0-9 defeat saw 'Newtown' take their third county title of the decade, while O'Sullivan ended up on the losing side for a second year in-a-row.
2006 saw Cloyne reach a third successive county final. Erin's Own
Erin's Own GAA (Cork)
Erin's Own GAA is a Gaelic Athletic Association club located in Glounthaune in east County Cork, Ireland. The club is made up of players from Little Island, Knockraha, Brooklodge and Glounthaune areas of the parish...
were the opponents and an exciting game ensued. A thrilling game produced a score line of 2-19 to 3-14, however, for the third year in-a-row O'Sullivan ended up on the losing side.
Since that defeat Cloyne have failed to reach the championship decider of the county championship.
Under-21
O'Sullivan's hurling skills at colleges and club championship levels brought him to the attentions of the Cork inter-county selectors and he was soon picked for the under-21 team. In 1997 hwon a MunsterMunster Under-21 Hurling Championship
The Munster GAA Hurling Under-21 Championship is an annual hurling competition organised by the Munster Council of the Gaelic Athletic Association since 1964 for players aged between 18 and 21 in the province of Munster in Ireland...
title in this grade when Tipperary
Tipperary GAA
The Tipperary County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association or C is one of over 30 regional executive boards throughout the world. These executive boards are known as County Boards even though some no longer correspond to the area under the jurisdiction of the counties from which their names...
were defeated by a single point. It took a late goal by Timmy McCarthy
Timmy McCarthy
Timmy McCarthy is an Irish sportsperson. He plays hurling with his local club Castlelyons and was a member of the Cork senior inter-county team from 1999 until 2009.-Biography:...
to secure a 1-11 to 0-13 victory. The subsequent All-Ireland final saw Cork take on Galway
Galway GAA
The Galway County Boards of the Gaelic Athletic Association or Galway GAA is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for Gaelic games in County Galway. The county boards are also responsible for the Galway inter-county teams.Unlike all other counties in Ireland,...
. Cork were victorious on that occasion on a score line of 3-11 to 0-13 giving O'Sullivan a coveted All-Ireland
All-Ireland Under-21 Hurling Championship
The All-Ireland Under-21 Hurling Championship is the premier "knockout" competition for players aged between 18 and 21 in the game of hurling played in Ireland...
under-21 winners' medal.
1998 saw Cork maintaining their provincial dominance with O'Sullivan collecting a second consecutive Munster under-21 winners' medal with a 3-18 to 1-10 victory over Tipp. For the third year in-a-row Cork played in the All-Ireland final and, for the second consecutive year, O'Sullivan lined out against Galway. In a close game Cork just about secured a 2-15 to 2-10 win. It was O'Sullivan's second consecutive All-Ireland under-21 winners' medal.
Senior
O'Sullivan's move onto the Cork senior team was a natural progression for such a talented player. He made his senior championship debut in 1997 with LimerickLimerick GAA
The Limerick County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association or Limerick GAA is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for Gaelic games in County Limerick...
providing the opposition in Páirc Uí Chaoimh
Páirc Uí Chaoimh
Páirc Uí Chaoimh is a Gaelic Athletic Association stadium in the Ballintemple area of Cork in Ireland, where major hurling and Gaelic football matches are played. It is the home of Cork GAA...
. Cork were hammered in that game by 3-18 to 1-8 as the county surrendered a seventy-five year-old unbeaten run at home.
In 1998 O'Sullivan was just nineteen years-old when he was appointed captain of the Cork senior hurling team. That year he tasted success at senior level for the first time as Cork defeated Waterford
Waterford GAA
The Waterford County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association or Waterford GAA is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for all levels of Gaelic games in County Waterford. The County Board is also responsible for the Waterford inter-county teams. The county...
to take the National Hurling League
National Hurling League
The National Hurling League is an annual hurling competition between the county teams of Ireland. Contested by 35 teams , it operates on a system of promotion and relegation between four different divisions, with Division One...
title. It was a welcome return to the big time for Cork; however, success in the championship was slow in coming. Between 1997 and 1999 O'Sullivan played in every championship game for Cork and only ended up on the winning side on one occasion, a Munster quarter-final game against Limerick in 1998.
In 1999 Cork were back in their first Munster final since 1992 and O'Sullivan took back his usual full-back berth. Clare
Clare GAA
The Clare County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association or Clare GAA is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for Gaelic games in County Clare. The county board is also responsible for the Clare inter-county teams....
, the team that had won three of the last four provincial titles, together with two All-Ireland titles, provided the opposition and were very much the favourites going into the game. An exciting contest unfolded with full-forward Joe Deane
Joe Deane
Joe Deane is an Irish sportsperson. He plays hurling with his local club Killeagh and was a member of the Cork senior inter-county team from 1996 until 2009...
scoring a key goal after an excellent pass from Seánie McGrath
Seánie McGrath
Seánie McGrath is a retired Irish sportsperson. He played hurling with his local clubs Mayfield and Glen Rovers and was a member of the Cork senior inter-county team from 1997 until 2003.-Early life:...
. A score line of 1-15 to 0-14 gave Cork the victory and gave O'Sullivan his first senior Munster
Munster Senior Hurling Championship
The Munster GAA Hurling Championship is an annual hurling competition organised by the Gaelic Athletic Association since 1888 for the top hurling teams in the province of Munster in Ireland....
title. Cork later defeated Offaly
Offaly GAA
The Offaly County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association or Offaly GAA is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for Gaelic games in County Offaly...
in one of the games of the year to set up an All-Ireland final meeting with arch-rivals Kilkenny. A wet and windy day meant that the classic game that everyone expected failed to materialise. Both sides shot seventeen wides over the course of the seventy minutes as a young and inexperienced Cork came back from five points down to win by 0-13 to 0-12. It was Cork’s first senior All-Ireland
All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship
The GAA Hurling All-Ireland Senior Championship is an annual hurling competition organised by the Gaelic Athletic Association since 1887 for the top hurling teams in Ireland....
title since 1990 and it was O'Sullivan first. He finished off the year by claiming his first All-Star
GAA All Stars Awards
The All Stars Awards, currently sponsored by Vodafone, are given annually since 1971 by the Gaelic Athletic Association to the best player in each of the fifteen positions in Gaelic football and Hurling in Ireland. Additionally, one player in each code is selected as the player of the year...
award and was also named as the Eircell Young Hurler of the Year
Vodafone Young Hurler of the Year
The Gaelic Athletic Association All Stars Young Hurler of the of the Year known for sponsorship reasons as the Vodafone Young Hurler of the Year is a hurling award that honours the achievements of a young hurler of outstanding excellence. The award is part of the GAA All Stars Awards, in which a...
.
In 2000 Cork were the favourites to retain their All-Ireland title. The team got off to a good start by retaining their Munster title, however, Tipperary
Tipperary GAA
The Tipperary County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association or C is one of over 30 regional executive boards throughout the world. These executive boards are known as County Boards even though some no longer correspond to the area under the jurisdiction of the counties from which their names...
put up a good fight and lost by 0-23 to 3-12. Cork’s next game was an All-Ireland semi-final meeting with Offaly. While Cork were expected to win the game without breaking a sweat Offaly caught O'Sullivan's side on the hop and recorded a 0-19 to 0-15 win. In spite of surrendering their All-Ireland crown O'Sullivan was later honoured by collecting a second All-Star award.
While the Cork hurling team should have gone from strength to strength as a result of a solid foundation at minor and under-21 levels the opposite happened. Embarrassing defeats in 2001 and 2002 saw the Cork hurling team reach rock bottom.
In 2002 O'Sullivan became the latest Cork man to becaome a dual player
Dual player
Dual player or dual star is a term used in Gaelic games to describe a player who plays both Men's Gaelic football and Hurling or Ladies' Gaelic football and Camogie. The player doesn't necessarily have to play at the same standard in both sports...
of both hurling and football. He lined out with the Cork footballers in the National Football League
National Football League (Ireland)
The National Football League is a Gaelic football tournament held annually between the county teams of Ireland, under the auspices of the Gaelic Athletic Association. The prize for the winning team is the New Ireland Cup, presented by the New Ireland Assurance Company...
and mad ehis championship debut against Kerry
Kerry GAA
The Kerry County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for Gaelic games in County Kerry...
in a Munster semi-final. Cork defeated Kerry in a replay of the game and later trounced Tipperary by 1-23 to 0-7 in a replay of the provincial decider. It was O'Sullivan's first Munster
Munster Senior Football Championship
The Munster Senior Football Championship is the premier "knockout" competition in the game of football played in the province of Munster in Ireland. The series of games are organised by the Munster Council and are played during the summer months...
football winners' medal. The subsequent All-Ireland semi-final pitted Cork against Kerry. It was an historic occasion as it was the first time that these great rivals had met in Croke Park
Croke Park
Croke Park in Dublin is the principal stadium and headquarters of the Gaelic Athletic Association , Ireland's biggest sporting organisation...
. Cork were trounced on a score line of 3-19 to 2-7. The year ended with the Cork hurling team going on strike. The players, who had been seeking better conditions, refused to play or train with the county again until the dispute with the county board was resolved. Had the strike failed it could have meant the end of his and his fellow teammates' careers, however, in the end the county board relented and met the demands. Although still amateur sportsmen the Cork senior hurling team were treated as professional athletes.
In 2003 Cork’s players were vindicated in taking a stand as the team reached the Munster final for the first time in three years. Waterford provided the opposition on that occasion as one of hurling’s modern rivalries began in earnest. An exciting game resulted between the two teams; however, victory went to Cork by 3-16 to 3-12. It was O'Sullivan's third Munster medal and it gave a signal that Cork were back. Deane’s side were hot favourites going into the subsequent All-Ireland semi-final against Wexford
Wexford GAA
The Wexford County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association or Wexford GAA is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for Gaelic games in County Wexford. The county board is also responsible for the Wexford inter-county teams.-History:Hurling has been played in...
, however, it was far from a walkover. In one of the most exciting games of the championship both sides finished level: Cork 2-20, Wexford 3-17. Both sides met again six days later with Cork making no mistake and taking the spoils on a score line of 3-17 to 2-7. This win set up an All-Ireland final meeting with Kilkenny. In another thrilling game of hurling both teams were level for much of the game, exchanging tit-for-tat scores. A Setanta Ó hAilpín
Setanta Ó hAilpín
Setanta "Carlos" Ó hAilpín is an Australian-Irish sportsman. He was a hurler with the Cork senior team before becoming a professional Australian Rules footballer. He is of mixed Irish and Rotuman background...
goal steadied the Cork ship, however, a Martin Comerford
Martin Comerford
Martin Comerford is an Irish sportsperson. He plays hurling with his local club O'Loughlin Gaels and was a member of the Kilkenny senior inter-county team from 2002 until 2010.-References:-Teams:...
goal five minutes from the end settled the game as Kilkenny went on to win by 1-14 to 1-11. Deane later added a third All-Star to his collection.
2004 saw Cork reach the Munster final once again and, for the second consecutive year, Waterford provided the opposition. In what many consider to be the greatest provincial decider of them all, both sides fought tooth-and-nail for the full seventy minutes. Cork lost the game by just a single point on a score line of Waterford 3-16, Cork 1-21. Although Cork surrendered their provincial crown they were still in with a chance of landing the All-Ireland title. After maneuvering through the qualifiers Cork reached a second consecutive All-Ireland final and, once again, Kilkenny provided the opposition. This game took on a life of its own for a number of reasons. Chief among these was the fact that Kilkenny were attempting to capture a third All-Ireland in-a-row and go one ahead of Cork in the All-Ireland roll of honour. The game was expected to be another classic; however, a damp day put an end to this. The first-half was a low-scoring affair and provided little excitement for fans. The second-half saw Cork completely take over. For the last twenty-three minutes Cork scored nine unanswered points and went on to win the game by 0-17 to 0-9. It was O'Sullivan's second All-Ireland winners' medal. A third All-Star award quickly followed.
In 2005 Cork were on form again. They won back the provincial crown that year with a 1-12 to 1-16 victory over Tipperary. It was O'Sullivan's fourth Munster winners’ medal as Cork went on the march for glory once again. In the All-Ireland semi-final against Clare their championship campaign was nearly derailed when they fell behind by seven points at the start of the second-half. A huge performance by Cork turned this deficit around and Deane’s side eventually went on to win the game by 0-16 to 0-15. While it was expected that Cork and Kilkenny would do battle again in a third consecutive All-Ireland final Galway were the surprise winners of the second semi-final. It was the first meeting of Cork and Galway in an All-Ireland final since 1990 and even more daunting was the fact that men from the west had never beaten Cork in a championship decider. Once again neither side broke away into a considerable lead, however, at the final whistle Cork were ahead by 1-21 to 1-16. For the second year in-a-row Cork were the All-Ireland champions and O'Sullivan collected his third winners’ medal. He later won a fourth All-Star award.
2006 saw Cork turn their attentions to a first three-in-a-row of All-Ireland titles since 1978. The team’s championship campaign got off to a good start with a 0-20 to 0-14 defeat of Clare in the opening round of the Munster championship. The subsequent provincial decider saw Cork take on Tipp for the second consecutive year and a 2-11 to 1-11 victory over their old rivals saw O'Sullivan win a fifth provincial winners' medals. Subsequent victories over Limerick and Waterford saw Cork qualify for their fourth consecutive All-Ireland final and for the third time Kilkenny were the opponents. Like previous encounters neither side took a considerable lead, however, Kilkenny had a vital goal from Aidan Fogarty
Aidan Fogarty
Aidan Fogarty is an Irish sportsperson. He plays hurling with his local club Emeralds and with the Kilkenny senior inter-county team.-Club:...
. Cork were in arrears coming into the final few minutes, however, Ben O'Connor
Ben O'Connor
Ben O'Connor is an Irish sportsperson. He plays hurling with his local club Newtownshandrum and has been a member of the Cork senior inter-county team since 1999. O'Connor is regarded as one of the greatest players of his generation.-Biography:Ben O’Connor was born in the village of...
goaled for Cork. It was too little too late as ‘the Cats’ denied ‘the Rebels’ the three-in-a-row on a score line of 1-16 to 1-13.
In 2007 Cork’s championship ambitions were hampered from the beginning. The so-called Semplegate affair resulted in Seán Óg Ó hAilpín
Seán Óg Ó hAilpín
Seán Óg Ó hAilpín is an iconic Irish-Fijian sportsperson. A former dual player, he currently plays hurling with his local club Na Piarsaigh and is a member of the Cork senior inter-county team. Ó hAilpín captained Cork to the All-Ireland title in 2005...
, Donal Óg Cusack
Dónal Óg Cusack
Donal Óg Cusack is a well-known Irish hurler and Ireland's first openly gay elite sportsman. He plays hurling at club level with Cloyne and has been a member of the Cork senior inter-county team since 1999....
and O'Sullivan being suspended for a crucial Munster semi-final clash with Waterford. In spite of being without three of their best players Cork put up a good fight but only lost by a goal. After maneuvering through the qualifiers Cork reached the All-Ireland quarter-final. Once again Waterford provided the opposition as the game controversially ended in a draw – 3-16 apiece. The replay was less exciting; however, it was still a good game as Waterford triumphed by 2-17 to 0-20.
In 2008 Cork were draw to play Tipperary in the Munster semi-final. It was a date that all hurling fans were looking forward to. In the lead up to the game there was speculation as to the formation of the Cork team. O'Sullivan retained his place at number three and Cork played well in the first-half, however, after the interval Tipp took over. Cork lost by six points and had to take their chances in the win of bust qualifiers. The team’s overall performance against Dublin
Dublin GAA
Dublin County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association , or Dublin GAA, is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for Gaelic games in County Dublin. The county board is also responsible for the Dublin inter-county teams...
was less than impressive in the 1-17 to 0-15 win. Cork’s next game saw Galway, a team regarded as one of the best in the country, provided the opposition. The first-half was a poor affair with Cork’s goalkeeper, Donal Óg Cusack, being sent off. O'Sullivan, who gave away a penalty to Joe Canning
Joe Canning
Joe Canning is an Irish sportsperson. He plays hurling with his local club Portumna and has been a member of the Galway senior inter-county team since 2008....
was also taken off. In the second-half, however, Cork took charge with Joe Deane giving a great display and scoring four crucial points from play to help his team to a 0-23 to 2-15 victory and a place in the All-Ireland quarter-final. Clare were the opposition on that occasion and, once again, Cork gave a poor first-half display. The second-half was a different story with Cork taking charge once again and securing a 2-19 to 2-17 victory. O'Sullivan's performance was croticised again, however, the victory allowed Cork to advance to the All-Ireland semi-final where Kilkenny provided the opposition. It was the first time that these two teams met in the championship outside of an All-Ireland final. That game was an intriguing encounter; however, ‘the Cats’ won the day by 1-23 to 0-17. In spite of the defeat and in spite of all the ctiticism he received, O'Sullivan gave one of his best displays ever. After the final whistle a visibly emotional O'Sullivan tightly gripped the crest on his red jersey, while he was comforted by Henry Shefflin
Henry Shefflin
Henry Shefflin is an Irish sportsperson. He plays hurling with his local club Ballyhale Shamrocks and has been a member of the Kilkenny senior inter-county team since 1999...
, one of his great rivals on the field of play.
On 13 May 2009 O'Sullivan confirmed his retirement from inter-county hurling. He told RTÉ
RTE
RTÉ is the abbreviation for Raidió Teilifís Éireann, the public broadcasting service of the Republic of Ireland.RTE may also refer to:* Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, 25th Prime Minister of Turkey...
that his decision was partly based on his desire to move from his trademark full-back position. He also said he had indicated to the Cork management of his desire to play anywhere else on the field, however, they believed that if he didn't play at full-back there would not be another suitable position for him.
O Sullivan is now coaching Limerick Junior A side Stakers.
Cloyne/Imokilly
- Cork Senior Hurling ChampionshipCork Senior Hurling ChampionshipThe Evening Echo Cork County Senior Hurling Championship is an annual hurling competition organised by the Cork County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association since 1887 for the top hurling teams in the county of Cork in Ireland....
:- Winner (1): 1997
- Runner-up (3): 2004, 2005, 2006
- Cork Intermediate Hurling ChampionshipCork Intermediate Hurling ChampionshipCork Intermediate Hurling Championship is the second-tier hurling competition organized by the Cork Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association. The winners usually will play in the senior grade the following year for the Cork Senior Hurling Championship. This championship has been played for since 1909...
:- Winner (1): 1997
- Runner-up (1): 1996
Cork
- All-Ireland Senior Hurling ChampionshipAll-Ireland Senior Hurling ChampionshipThe GAA Hurling All-Ireland Senior Championship is an annual hurling competition organised by the Gaelic Athletic Association since 1887 for the top hurling teams in Ireland....
:- Winner (3): 1999All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship 1999The All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship of 1999 was the 113th staging of Ireland's premier hurling competition...
, 2004All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship 2004The All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship of 2004 was the 118th staging of Ireland's premier hurling knock-out competition. Cork won the championship, beating Kilkenny 0-17 to 0-9 in the final at Croke Park, Dublin.-Participating counties:-Calendar:...
, 2005All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship 2005The Guinness Hurling Championship 2005 began on Sunday, May 15, 2005. The 2005 championship saw some change with the introduction of a new format whereby after the provincial championships and the two new qualifying groups were completed, eight teams were left to face off in four quarter finals.... - Runner-up (2): 2003All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship 2003The All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship 2003 was the 117th since its establishment in 1887. The first matches of the season were played in May 2003, and the championship ended on 14 September 2003...
, 2006All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship 2006The Guinness Hurling Championship 2006 was won by Kilkenny, who defeated holders Cork in the All-Ireland final.-Format:The format of the 2006 championship remained the same as in 2005:...
- Winner (3): 1999
- Munster Senior Hurling ChampionshipMunster Senior Hurling ChampionshipThe Munster GAA Hurling Championship is an annual hurling competition organised by the Gaelic Athletic Association since 1888 for the top hurling teams in the province of Munster in Ireland....
:- Winner (5): 1999, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006
- Runner-up (1): 2004
- National Hurling LeagueNational Hurling LeagueThe National Hurling League is an annual hurling competition between the county teams of Ireland. Contested by 35 teams , it operates on a system of promotion and relegation between four different divisions, with Division One...
:- Winner (1): 1997-98 (c)
- Runner-up (1): 2002
- All-Ireland Under-21 Hurling ChampionshipAll-Ireland Under-21 Hurling ChampionshipThe All-Ireland Under-21 Hurling Championship is the premier "knockout" competition for players aged between 18 and 21 in the game of hurling played in Ireland...
:- Winner (1): 1997, 1998
- Munster Under-21 Hurling ChampionshipMunster Under-21 Hurling ChampionshipThe Munster GAA Hurling Under-21 Championship is an annual hurling competition organised by the Munster Council of the Gaelic Athletic Association since 1964 for players aged between 18 and 21 in the province of Munster in Ireland...
:- Winner (1): 1997, 1998