The Irish Examiner
15th November 2000

IT’S official. Tom Cashman is the new coach to the Cork senior hurling team. Last night’s county board meeting unanimously agreed to his appointment following the resignation of Jimmy Barry Murphy last week after five years in the position. Cashman, who served with Barry Murphy as both a minor and senior selector, steps out of the shadow of his great friend and will take charge of the team for at least the next 12 months.

He has one year of a two year term left to run, but if he were to steer Cork to All Ireland success next year, he would almost certain be asked to stay on. Reacting to his appointment last night, he said he regarded it as a tremendous honour to be asked to coach the county team. "When I first got involved at inter county level eight years ago, never in my wildest dreams did I see myself finishing up with the top job in the county and possibly the country."

"As a player it was brilliant to be playing inter county hurling and winning All Irelands, but this is the ultimate. Following in Jimmy’s footsteps isn’t going to be easy, but I can only do my best, and hopefully that will be good enough." Accepting that coach of the Cork senior hurling team is regarded as one of the top jobs in the country, Cashman said he appreciated the enormity of the job, but added: "when you look at the calibre of the people I have with me this job is not just about Tom Cashman. If I succeed, we all succeed. If I fail we all fail. That’s how we view it. We are all in this together."

"One of the first phone calls I got was from Jimmy and he said he was thrilled at my appointment and wished me every success in the job. People will say it’s a huge jump up from being a selector to the number one position, but I don’t view it that way. "I regard the whole backroom team as one unit with everybody having a job to do. When Jimmy was senior coach all the selectors were involved in some aspects of coaching, be it with the backs or midfield."

"Five years ago, before Ted Owens came in, Jimmy and I trained and coached the team between us, so I don’t see the move up as any big deal really. "When you come to inter county level the players are there. They are all very skilful and it’s only a matter of blending them all together, and that’s how I would primarily see my role as coach. "Over the last three years the county selectors turned Cork hurling around. We got back up to the top, winning two Munster titles and the All Ireland last year. "Okay, losing to Offaly was a huge disappointment this year, but I won’t be changing our style or pattern of play. What was good enough over the last couple of years is still good enough in my view."

Asked about the infusion of new blood into the squad, Tom said it would always be his policy and that of his fellow selectors that if there are players out there who we feel are good enough, we’ll give them their chance. "If you look at this year’s minor team, there are a couple of players in my view good enough to make it, and they will be given the chance during the course of the upcoming National League to show what they can do. "You have only to look at Derek Barrett. He got his chance this year and came up trumps. The door is never closed to any player with the necessary skill and ambition to want to play senior hurling with Cork.

"We will use the upcoming league to test players while at the same time looking to win as many games as possible to getting into a winning habit. "The championship is obviously the one game we will be gearing all our energies towards. All five teams can win Munster next year. It’s going to be extremely difficult for us to retain our title but it’s a challenge I’m eagerly looking forward to." The Blackrock man will be quickly into action as Cork take on Clare in the Waterford Crystal SH tournament at Páirc Uí Chaoimh next Saturday (1.45pm). There will be universal approval for Tom Cashman’s appointment. Following a magnificent career playing the game, in which he won four senior All Ireland medals, three minor medals (two for hurling) an under 21 All Ireland hurling medal and four county SHC medals, before he branched out into inter county team management at minor level in 1993.

He spent three years at that level during which he played a key role in guiding the team to two All Ireland finals in 1994 and 1995 winning the latter, before moving up to senior ranks in the autumn of 1995. One of the most gifted hurlers ever to grace the playing fields of Ireland, Cashman will bring to his new post the same coolness and level headness his predecessor did. A great advocate of the skills of the game, Cashman has been entrusted with one of the most demanding jobs in hurling as expectations are always high in a county with such an outstanding tradition. The full selection committee for the coming year is: Tom Cashman (coach), Johnny Crowley, Fred Sheedy, Bertie Og Murphy, Phil Noonan (Newtownshandrum). Trainer Ted Owens.