Hurling management not surprised by Cadogan move

Cork’s hurling management had known for several months that dual player Eoin Cadogan was considering committing solely to football.

Selector Kieran Kingston admitted the defender’s news over the weekend didn’t come as a great surprise to them, although it is a blow to the squad.

“Given our state of development, we’re always concerned about any change to our panel. Eoin moving on to the footballers, while disappointing, I wouldn’t say it was unexpected.

“He did flag to us early, last year after the Galway (All-Ireland semi-final) game, that he would have to take time out and reflect on his ability to do both.

“He said if he decided to do one, which wasn’t an easy decision for him, it would be football. We knew that.

“I wouldn’t say we were prepared for it but we certainly knew that it could happen even though we were pushing as hard as we could to facilitate him. We would love to have him and the door is always open to him.”

Kingston said the demands Cadogan had made on himself for both teams were enormous.

“We have seen the commitment that is required to play at that level in one code never mind two codes is unbelievable.

“What he has achieved as a dual player, considering last year he played in two All-Ireland semi-finals and two league semis (was incredible). He’s played in four league finals in a row with football and one in hurling.

“His performance levels are unreal and it’s only for his own professionalism, commitment and passion for the game. The sacrifices he has made are unreal.

“He’s 26 but he always knew he couldn’t do both indefinitely.”

Having lost Cadogan to the footballers this month and Darren Sweetnam to rugby last year, Kingston isn’t certain if the latest withdrawal will extend Cork’s period of transition.

“It’s hard to know. Eoin going closes a chapter for himself at least for 2013 and we’ll review it after that. But it opens a door for another player.

“We’re in a period of transition when you consider Cork haven’t won anything for a number of years. Only time will tell how that evolves.

“We’re not sure exactly how this year will go. We’d love to have all these players who for one reason or another aren’t involved but you can’t and you won’t and that’s the transition of hurling.

“We’re continuing to review the panel which hasn’t been finalised at any stage. We can’t afford to do that. We’re keeping an eye on the college games, the U21s and club games as they start.

“The door is closed to absolutely nobody, including the guys on the football panel and Darren Sweetnam. We can’t afford to.”

Kingston says the hurlers’ aim is to emulate the achievements of the footballers.

“We keep an eye on the footballers but we’re focused on ourselves and they’ve had huge, fantastic success over the last number of years and more luck to them.

“Our own objective is to try and match that success over the next number of years.”

Cadogan’s fellow defender Brian Murphy has yet to indicate whether he will be playing this year and Kingston isn’t ruling out further changes in the panel.

The one unit remaining intact is Jimmy Barry-Murphy’s 2012 management team as they embark on their 2013 season with a Waterford Crystal

“We’ve a consolidated backroom team. In the panel, you can never say never because we have yet to finalise the panel.

“We’ve had two games, we’re only back playing hurling a week and a half. We have UCC next Saturday and that’ll be another game.

“We’ve a large panel, some are in with us all of the time and others intermittently. We’ve also brought in guys for games who are not with us. I’d hate to say there won’t be changes because they are possible.”