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INPHO/Cathal Noonan
Red Tide

Rebel Ronan Curran calls time on intercounty career

As centre back bows out, fellow St Finbarr’s man Jimmy Barry Murphy is reported to be on the brink of a return to the top job in Cork hurling.

IT’S ALL CHANGE in Cork hurling this week.

Yesterday, we reported that the county board had decided against reappointing Denis Walsh as head coach.

The Ballynoe man had served as manager for two and a half years. This year’s championship bid ended with a qualifier defeat to Galway in Limerick.

Last week, Páirc Uí Chaoimh officials appointed a six-man committee to spearhead the search for a new manager or, failing that, reappoint Walsh himself to the post.

Under the terms of its mandate, the committee informed Walsh that a change of personnel was necessary, county chairman Jerry O’Sullivan explained.

This morning however, there’s been another departure.  Two-time All-Ireland winner Ronan Curran has decided to draw the curtain on his intercounty career.

The 30-year-old St Finbarr’s centre back told the Irish Examiner that ‘the time was right’ to walk away.

“I enjoyed every minute of it. I’m sad to leave it but after the Galway defeat in the championship I knew it was time to leave. I’m not getting any younger and the legs are getting a bit more tired at this stage. I’ve played a lot of games in the last ten years or so. I think the time is right,” he said.

It doesn’t end there. The man who gave Curran his debut and was part of the committee that appointed Denis Walsh to the Cork job, may be in line to take the position himself.

Leeside legend Jimmy Barry Murphy is said to have the job if he wants it. The Irish Independent also reports that Ger Cunningham may work alongside him in a coaching capacity.

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