Irish name Niall O Cathalain Occupation Auctioneer All stars 2 Height 5 ft 11 in (1.80 m) All irelands 2 | Position Left corner-back Name Niall Cahalane Sport Gaelic football Years Club | |
Born 25 September 1963 (age 60)
Castlehaven, County Cork ( 1963-09-25 ) | ||
Niall Cahalane (born 25 September 1963) is an Irish retired Gaelic footballer. His league and championship career with the Cork senior team spanned fourteen seasons from 1983 to 1997. Cahalane is widely regarded as one of the greatest players of his era.
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Football career
Born in Castlehaven, County Cork, Cahalane first played competitive Gaelic football at juvenile and underage levels with the Castlehaven club. After winning a host of divisional and county championship medals in all grades from under-12 to under-21, Cahalane joined the senior team in 1979. In a 25-year senior club career he won three Munster medals and three county senior championship medal. He also played hurling with Blackrock.
Cahalane made his debut on the inter-county scene at the age of seventeen when he was selected for the Cork minor team. He enjoyed one championship season with the minor team, culminating with the winning of an All-Ireland medal in 1981. Cahalane subsequently joined the Cork under-21 team and captained the team to the All-Ireland title in 1984. By this stage he had also joined the Cork senior team, making his debut during the 1983-84 league. Over the course of the next fourteen seasons, Cahalane won two All-Ireland medals as part of back-to-back triumphs in 1989 and 1990. He also won seven Munster medals and one National Football League medal. Cahalane's inter-county career ended in 1997 when he received a 48-week suspension.
After being chosen on the Munster inter-provincial team for the first time in 1985, Cahalane was a regular member of the starting fifteen at various times until 1997. During that time he never won a Railway Cup medal.
Cahalane was selected as a member of the Ireland team for the International Rules Series in both 1986 and 1987. The national team, with Cahalane playing in defence, claimed victory in the first series.
Even during his playing days Cahalane was involved in team management and coaching. He served as player-manager of the Castlehaven club, before becoming involved in all levels as a coach in his retirement. Cahalane has also served as a selector with the University College Cork team.
His son, Damien Cahalane, has also played Gaelic football and hurling with Cork.