Aisake unlikely to figure for Cork

CORK hurler Aisake O hAilpín has returned to Australia with his older brother Setanta and is unlikely to figure for the Rebel hurlers next season.

His departure follows the axing of older brother Seán Óg from the Cork squad following a season review meeting with manager Denis Walsh two weeks ago.

It is not clear if Aisake, the youngest of the four O hAilpín brothers, had a review meeting with the Cork management before leaving for Australia.

Aisake first emerged on the county minor hurling team that reached the 2003 All-Ireland semi-final. The following year he starred on the Na Piarsaigh side which won the Cork senior hurling championship before joining Carlton, the same Australian Rules club as his brother Setanta, for the following season.

Aisake featured on the Carlton feeder club,the Northern Bullants, for two seasons, coming close to breaking through to the top tier in the sport before injuries ended his season prematurely in 2007.

He was de-listed by the club in 2008 and returned to Ireland soon afterwards.

Early in 2009 he featured in challenge games with both the Cork senior football and hurling teams before opting for the hurlers.

The 25-year-old full-forward enjoyed a stunning start to this year’s championship when he was centrally involved in Cork’s ten-point defeat of Tipperary in opening round of the Munster senior hurling championship.

O hAilpín picked up the RTE man of the match award, having scored 1-1 and being directly involved in Cork’s other two goals, which came from Patrick Horgan.

Subsequent championship games against Limerick, Waterford, Antrim and Kilkenny did not go as well for the Na Piarsaigh clubman, who was withdrawn at half-time in the All-Ireland semi-final defeat by the Cats.

At six foot six, the 25-year-old Aisake is understood to be considering a return to the Australian Rules code.

His departure means he and his older brother Seán Óg are the only starters from this year’s Cork side who will not figure for the county next year.