CORK UNDERAGE DUAL star Jack Cahalane admits it was a ‘difficult’ decision to opt to focus only on hurling this season.
Cahalane won two All-Ireland U20 hurling medals with Cork last summer, the delayed 2020 competition and the 2021 decider, while also impressing for the county’s football side that won Munster honours.
A huge talent in both codes as an attacker, his focus this season is on hurling at inter-county level with the Munster championship commencing next month. His older brothers Damien and Conor are both part of the Cork senior hurling squad.
“I am focusing on hurling this year,” said the young foward, speaking today in Croke Park at the launch of the oneills.com’s sponsorship of the U20 hurling championship
“Last year I was playing a championship game every three or four days which is not sustainable. I got through it without injury but I went into a club season then where I don’t think I played to the level I expected myself. I’m just hopefully going to focus on hurling and be able then to perform for my club then as well.”
In one spell last July, Cahalane played five championship games for Cork in the space of 18 days, picking up an All-Ireland medal and two Munster accolades.
“We played two All-Ireland finals in the space of six weeks, which is obviously very, very enjoyable and kind of what you want to be doing, playing games.
“Myself and Brian (Hayes, another dual player) last year weren’t really doing much training, just going from game to game, which is why you find it hard to go back into a pre-season this year.
“It was a bit mad but I think players like that.”
In January, Cahalane featured for the Cork senior footballers in the McGrath Cup and it was tough to cut the ties with the county U20 team, particularly as management team when he won an All-Ireland minor medal in 2019, are now in charge of that grade.
“It was very difficult. I love playing football, especially with Bobbie (O’Dwyer) and Ollie (O’Sullivan) and James Master being involved with the footballers this year, the U20s.
“I won an All-Ireland with them three years ago. It is always very tough to step away but I think they understand why I did it. They have no problems with it.”
Cork commence their hurling campaign away to Clare on 13 April and then entertain Limerick a week later, as a new round-robin format takes place in the Munster U20 championship.
“I suppose the beauty of under-20 hurling has been you get your one chance, and any team can get knocked out on any given day,” says Cahalane.
“It is probably a fairer way to go about it that if you lose your first game you can go out and win your second and still compete for an All-Ireland.”
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A new episode of The Front Row, in partnership with Guinness, is out now. After Ireland’s Triple Crown win, Murray Kinsella gives us the rundown on his team of the tournament. Ireland international Sene Naoupu also joins the panel to chat about her career and look ahead to the start of the Women’s Six Nations. Click here to subscribe or listen below:
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Cork All-Ireland winner's dual dilemma - 'It is always very tough to step away'
CORK UNDERAGE DUAL star Jack Cahalane admits it was a ‘difficult’ decision to opt to focus only on hurling this season.
Cahalane won two All-Ireland U20 hurling medals with Cork last summer, the delayed 2020 competition and the 2021 decider, while also impressing for the county’s football side that won Munster honours.
A huge talent in both codes as an attacker, his focus this season is on hurling at inter-county level with the Munster championship commencing next month. His older brothers Damien and Conor are both part of the Cork senior hurling squad.
“I am focusing on hurling this year,” said the young foward, speaking today in Croke Park at the launch of the oneills.com’s sponsorship of the U20 hurling championship
“Last year I was playing a championship game every three or four days which is not sustainable. I got through it without injury but I went into a club season then where I don’t think I played to the level I expected myself. I’m just hopefully going to focus on hurling and be able then to perform for my club then as well.”
In one spell last July, Cahalane played five championship games for Cork in the space of 18 days, picking up an All-Ireland medal and two Munster accolades.
“We played two All-Ireland finals in the space of six weeks, which is obviously very, very enjoyable and kind of what you want to be doing, playing games.
“Myself and Brian (Hayes, another dual player) last year weren’t really doing much training, just going from game to game, which is why you find it hard to go back into a pre-season this year.
“It was a bit mad but I think players like that.”
In January, Cahalane featured for the Cork senior footballers in the McGrath Cup and it was tough to cut the ties with the county U20 team, particularly as management team when he won an All-Ireland minor medal in 2019, are now in charge of that grade.
“It was very difficult. I love playing football, especially with Bobbie (O’Dwyer) and Ollie (O’Sullivan) and James Master being involved with the footballers this year, the U20s.
“I won an All-Ireland with them three years ago. It is always very tough to step away but I think they understand why I did it. They have no problems with it.”
Cork commence their hurling campaign away to Clare on 13 April and then entertain Limerick a week later, as a new round-robin format takes place in the Munster U20 championship.
“I suppose the beauty of under-20 hurling has been you get your one chance, and any team can get knocked out on any given day,” says Cahalane.
“It is probably a fairer way to go about it that if you lose your first game you can go out and win your second and still compete for an All-Ireland.”
*********
A new episode of The Front Row, in partnership with Guinness, is out now. After Ireland’s Triple Crown win, Murray Kinsella gives us the rundown on his team of the tournament. Ireland international Sene Naoupu also joins the panel to chat about her career and look ahead to the start of the Women’s Six Nations. Click here to subscribe or listen below:
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Cork GAA Jack Cahalane