Everyone remembers Austin Gleeson’s wonder goal against Cork to announce his championship arrival back in 2014. What fewer remember is that the man of the match award that day went to another debutant: Cork’s new sensation Alan Cadogan.
Not even 10 years later, it’s strange to think neither will play a part in Championship 2024.
What former Cork manager John Meyler remembers most about Cadogan’s emergence was the buzz of excitement from the crowd every time he got the ball.
“That excitement when he went for the ball at speed, the control, the touch, the scores, and the goals, that’s what you loved,” Meyler tells The 42. “You saw talent there and that was it in a nutshell.”
It wasn’t an easy Cork team to break into that spring. Jimmy Barry-Murphy’s side were off the back of a drawn All-Ireland final saga with Clare but Cadogan was immediately undroppable, recognised with All-Star nominations in his first two seasons.
“He came in around 2014 and I saw this 5-foot-10, extremely fast, extremely skillful corner-forward,” remembers Meyler. “He brought a huge dynamic to the full-forward line with Hoggy.
“At the beginning, it was very explosive, this guy was going to get goals.
“He had a fantastic touch and matched the touch with the speed because then he was gone with the ball in the hand. He had that drop of the shoulder and he cut in against corner-backs.
“It made it very difficult to defend him because you’ve that speed and his control was so good.”
The Christmas Day ball-alley sessions
If his pace was innate, his control was learned with hours of practice at an old ball alley in Rochestown College alongside some of Cork’s greatest stars.
His older brother Eoin started bringing Alan along from the age of 15 for the Sunday morning sessions, which featured a game of squash with hurleys and four on the court at any time.
Dónal Óg Cusack was the ring leader, joined by John Gardiner, Seán Óg Ó hAilpín, Kevin Hartnett, and the local Douglas boys. They even trained there on Christmas Day. “Even on days when it was like an ice rink,” Ó hAilpín once said.
“Lads would be all friends going in but quite often come away really pissed off because it was so competitive,” Cadogan later recalled.
“Those sessions made me, really. They opened my eyes.”
He knew the essential qualities and milestones to make it at inter-county level from those teenage insights. He kept a diary of each training session and was meticulous in refining his approach. When he reached the senior set-up, he used to arrive at 5pm for shooting practice with Patrick Horgan before the 6.45pm start.
The big-ball days
He matched his brother’s achievement of being named man of the match on his debut and even emulated Eoin, seven years his elder, by representing his county in both codes.
A nippy forward, Alan won three Munster U21 football titles in a row. In the months before his 2014 senior hurling debut, he scored 2-16 (all from play) in four games during his final football campaign.
“He was one of the tastiest forwards I’ve seen Cork producing for a long time,” came the praise from Kerry legend Mikey Sheehy after taking the Kingdom for five points that spring.
“He had lovely balance and movement, and he was bright and alert all through. The boys couldn’t handle him.”
His senior managers ruled out the possibility of going the dual route, as his brother Eoin had done, which caused some frustration and much head-scratching before choosing the small ball.
Cork’s early exit in 2016, however, did facilitate his one senior football appearance as a late sub in the Rebels’ round 4 defeat to Donegal. It says much about his standing to be parachuted in for such a high-profile encounter so late in the summer.
Injuries
The next spring, and still just 23, he filled in as Cork captain against Clare during the League when Stephen McDonnell was injured. Typically, he was named man of the match. Against the same opposition in that year’s Munster final, he again took individual honours after blitzing the Banner for 1-4.
Meyler was a selector that year and took over the hot seat from Kieran Kingston for the following campaign. The injuries that dogged Cadogan’s career, however, denied him the use of a key attacking jewel due to knee surgery. Hamstring issues would also take their toll.
His boss later described it as a mistake leaving an almost-recovered Cadogan out of the matchday 26 for the All-Ireland semi-final loss to Limerick. Cadogan wore no.27 and took part in the warm-up before watching on during the extra-time epic.
“He came back in ’19 but we really needed him in ’18 and we didn’t have him,” recalls Meyler. “Injury caught him and that’s a sad part of an inter-county player’s career if it’s blighted by injury and a fella could’ve done more.
“That’s disheartening for any individual when you’re playing inter-county and the career span is maybe only eight or 10 years at the top level. You have to stay injury-free and he was desperately unlucky there. A good guy who deserved an All-Ireland medal really.
“You get tough breaks in life and the GAA but he was always positive.
“Their catchphrase with Eoin and Alan was bring it on, let’s see what you’ve got, and they loved playing for Cork.
“They put out their best all the time playing for Cork and they never let Cork down. It’s just a pity he didn’t get a medal.”
Comeback
A standout match for Meyler was Cadogan’s championship return in 2019. He came on after six minutes for Conor Lehane and took Limerick for 0-3 to shock the reigning champions.
His tireless commitment to the cause was summarised by a viral clip, remembered by Anthony Nash in a column last year.
“Alan Cadogan did so much of that hard side-to-side running for us that he ended up toppling over the advertising hoarding and into the stand in the Gaelic Grounds. I remember we got some laughs out of the jokes on Twitter about that.”
He received his third All-Star nomination that autumn but his best days were increasingly off the bench in later years.
Given his time spent rehabilitating injuries, it’s no wonder his Twitter cover photo reads: “The pain you feel today will be the strength you feel tomorrow.”
In 2021, he contributed 0-3 against Kilkenny to earn a place in the All-Ireland final, where he also clipped a point in the beating by Limerick. He was left out for much of last year but a 20-minute cameo in the quarter-final against Galway netted three points and almost rescued the match.
This term brought no Championship involvement after another injury-dogged season.
Retirement and beyond
His retirement statement was notable for the tribute paid to the late priest and principal Damien Brennan. Brother Damien, a Laois native, would become known as the silent man behind the Kilkenny success story for his counselling of so many of Kilkenny’s star players.
The Cadogans also sought out his wisdom.
“His belief, trust, and friendship allowed me to maximise my full potential and inspire me to be the very best I could be,” wrote Cadogan. “Even though we only knew each other for a short period of time, you were more than a mentor. You were a true friend.”
Cadogan has more to offer Cork GAA yet. The Rochestown College business and geography teacher coached his school to an All-Ireland Senior B hurling title in 2022.
Meyler, back in as Cork minor boss next year, believes the way in which Cadogan handled himself throughout his career stands as a model for younger players.
“Brother Damien was very good to Alan, a really good mentor and tutor. You’d be advising young fellas of 16, 17 to copy Alan and get a really positive person that would answer the odd question for you.
“If things are not going well and you’re struggling, you need somebody to talk to. That’s critical in sport, business, or life.
“The Cadogans are involved in coaching so they’re true GAA people and they’ve a great family. The father and mother are really exemplary people and the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree. They’re good people.
“A great hurler and a great ambassador, everything is positive about Alan Cadogan. That’s what I’d say.”