IT’S A UNIQUE GAA quiz question.
How many senior inter-county footballers have hurled with their managers at club level and won a county title together?
The reflex answer is Paul Galvin after he triumphed with Éamonn Fitzmaurice at club level in Kerry with Lixnaw.
But Cork’s Colm O’Driscoll is also part of that select club.
Back in 2006, he won a Cork premier intermediate hurling championship medal with Bishopstown on a team that also contained current Cork football boss Brian Cuthbert.
“It’s slightly rare alright (to play with manager),” laughs O’Driscoll. “I played with Brian in a premier intermediate county final (in 2006). He was midfield, a good hard operator to be fair.
“As a manager, I think he’s very fair. He’s excellent. Tactically he’s brilliant. I think that’s showing this year.
“Owen Sexton who’s a (Cork) selector was on the Carbery divisional side as well. Playing with one of your selectors is nice. It doesn’t happen too often. You look back, he’s always encouraging and driving on the team.”
Cuthbert has overseen Cork’s progress to next Sunday’s Allianz Division 1 football league decider against Dublin. It’s the county’s first league final since 2012 and O’Driscoll’s career has undergone a renaissance in the interim.
Back in 2009, the 26 year-old pounced for the match-winning goal as Cork saw off Down to win the All-Ireland U21 football title. Breaking into the senior setup afterwards wasn’t straightforward.
“I didn’t get a lot of a look in to be honest,” he recalls. “It was a different management. They had a lot of very, very good players at their disposal.
“It was a very tough team to break into to be fair. I don’t think many fellas broke into it. I think Aidan Walsh and Ciaran Sheehan, who were exceptional athletes, were the only two.
“There was a lot of big men on the team at that time, when you’re standing at 5’8, you wouldn’t be classed as a big man.”
O’Driscoll ploughed on at club level and featured for successful Cork junior sides. Last summer he was rewarded for keeping the faith when he made his senior championship debut, coming on as a sub against Tipperary.
“It’s always in the back of your head that you’re not getting any younger. Look regardless of whether you had or hadn’t made it, I think it was in the blood to keep playing and to do the best you can every time you go out.
“That’s what I did, kept the head down, kept training and used it as a bit of motivation, bottled it up.
“To be fair to the management, they’re an excellent bunch of lads. They’re always looking out for new lads coming through and they’re always scouting around the county, When I got my opportunity, I got a bit of luck with it and everything went well.”
Sunday is one of those occasions to grasp and savour. The complexion of Cork’s team has altered from the side that strung together three league titles on the bounce between 2010 and 2012. For the current bunch, a battle with the Dubs and national silverware on the podium for the victors, constitutes a big deal.
“It is a big occasion. Lots of fellas who have given massive service to the county have retired. They weren’t going to go on forever and new lads stepped into the breach.
“It’s a work in progress but I think Sunday is important for us. We respect this Dublin team but we don’t fear them.”
