O’Sullivan happy he committed to hurling

DIARMUID O’SULLIVAN was forced to take serious decisions to secure his position as one of hurling’s most formidable defenders.

Early in the season he had to opt out of inter-county football and then commit to a rigorous training regime to improve his fitness. The Cloyne and Cork star has no doubt it was the correct decision. However, he admits he was probably wrong to play in the Munster final, having been ill the previous week.

Last year, he realised his ambition of playing in a Munster football final except that it wasn't against Kerry in Killarney as he hoped when he committed himself to Larry Tompkins' squad. He did get to play against them, in the drawn semi-final, but won his medal as a substitute in the replay against Tipperary in Páirc Uí Chaoimh. In Cork's two games in the All-Ireland series, against Mayo and Kerry, he was also limited to a substitute's role.

It's not clear if he plans a dual involvement in the future but he did say he knew when it was time to 'put football aside for the rest of the year.' That happened prior to Cork playing Galway in the game in Páirc Uí Rinn and it was a difficult decision because he had enjoyed his time with them.

O'Sullivan hesitated when asked if he felt his hurling had suffered because of his football activities. His answer was a qualified 'yes'. "Looking at it at the time you'd say 'no', but if you look back over the past year had not been hurling to the standards I always set myself. And, I did fall behind a bit."

Fitness-wise, he realised that he had fallen behind big-time and he knew exactly why. After his club and inter-county activity came to a premature end last summer, he got a break for the first time in five or six years. In his own words, he "just laid off everything and let himself go a small bit for the first time". And, he suffered.

He suffered in a different sense on that fateful evening in Semple Stadium when Cork were annihilated by Galway in the second round of the qualifier competition. For him, it was one of the worst days he ever had in Thurles. "As a player individually, and as a panel, that was very hard to accept, but we are well on the road to redemption at this stage."

On reflection, he thinks things might have been very different if the team had managed to win there a few months earlier against Kilkenny in the National League final. "They had the rub of the green that day. But, in fairness, they went on and had a good win in the All-Ireland." He described Donal O'Grady as a disciplinarian, commenting: "we have played four championship games so far with no defeat. He must be doing something right...

"As a coach he is straight, to the point that if you don't like it, that's tough. It's his way or no way which I suppose is the right approach. It keeps everyone in check and every fellow in line."

O'Sullivan was subjected to extra training outside of the panel sessions, up to two weeks before the opening championship game. At the start of the year he was left out of the team and it was a 'major kick in the backside' for him. Later on, he had a heart-to-heart talk with the manager after being called aside. "I had to stand up and be a man. I had to take it on the chin."

In the Munster final against Waterford, he lasted a mere 15 minutes, clearly suffering the effects of a virus. For him to start the game involved taking a chance, a decision influenced by earlier difficulties.

"Munster finals don't come around too handy," he explained. "After the start to the year, I wanted to be involved in the occasion. But, looking back, it might have been a wrong decision , possibly a bit selfish. But, the selectors were ready to give me a go."

Watching the rest of the match from the sideline that day brought it home to him that Cork had real potential: "That day the team gave its best performance, in the second half. There was a lot of pressure and the chips were down. The hurling we played that day was absolutely fantastic. I believed that if we could repeat that, it would be very hard to stop us."

While most of the hurling world can't fathom why O'Sullivan is not being chosen at full-back he is philosophical. It's not something he is 'too bothered about'. Generally speaking, there is intense pressure for places in the team. After he had temporarily lost his place , he was 'absolutely delighted' to get back into the team. He would have played anywhere!

He doubts if Kilkenny will be under added pressure to win because of their extra incentives. His attitude is their players have been 'around the block' and they are well used to pressure.