Barry Egan v Dermot McCurtain: Vote for Cork's best city hurlers

WITH your help, we’re looking to pick the best hurler from either side of St Patrick's Bridge from the last 50 years of action.

The Echo has pitched some of Cork’s finest hurling stars from the northside and southside of Cork city together for a series of fun head-to-head battles. Your votes will decide who goes through and you can see the full list of 16 northside and 16 southside players here.

Today's match-up is Barry Egan v Dermot McCurtain.

BARRY EGAN (Delanys)

AT a time when this proud northside club were competing strongly against the best of opposition, Barry Egan, alongside his brothers, Kevin and James, was a major player.

Living in the shadows of the Glen and Na Piarsaigh, Delanys always fought the good fight and produced some terrific individual players down the years.

Their star might not shine as brightly as it once did but on some of their best days, the older of the Egan brothers was a key figure who graduated with distinction to the Cork seniors.

Unfortunately, the county team was going through a poor period but the year 1993 is still fondly remembered on Leeside for the epic three-game National League final saga with Wexford.

On the first day in Thurles they could not be separated and it was a similar story in the replay. However, in the third game in front of a huge audience, Cork came through to claim the title with Egan one of the stars on the day.

He registered 1-6 of their final tally, a huge contribution which was a key to their great victory as a very young Brian Corcoran received the trophy. Unfortunately, they came up short in the subsequent Munster championship encounter with All-Ireland champions in waiting Clare.

Egan, however, despite never winning a Celtic Cross was rewarded with All-Star selection and that was an honour of great significance for himself, his family and, of course, Delanys.

He won a Cork county IHC medal with the club and it goes without saying that he made a major contribution to that win.

He was a player with a great eye for a score and many half chances were converted.

He was a very clean striker of the ball, was a fine reader of the game and at the time he was regarded as one of the best forwards around. Nothing came easy in those days for club and county but Egan was rarely if ever found wanting.

He was one of those players who would have deserved to win an All-Ireland medal but, of course, that’s easier said than done.

In selecting any Northside selection from that era he would have to be an automatic choice.

From a great sporting family, he always led by example and alongside that NHL medal, he has Munster medals at minor, U21 and senior.

DERMOT McCURTAIN (Blackrock)

DURING his time on the Cork senior hurling panel, Blackrock legend Tom Cashman only ever had one real ritual.

“On the Saturday before a game, myself and Dermot McCurtain used to go over to Blackrock at around 12 o’clock, have a small warm-up and a puck-around,” he said. It was a custom and routine that served the pair of them well.

Having originally played with Delanys, McCurtain was almost 17 when he joined Blackrock in 1974. Just over two years later, he and Cashman were, along with Tim Crowley, added to the Cork squad that had just won the first of what would prove to be three All-Ireland SHC titles in a row.

His pedigree was well-known prior to that, and not just in hurling – along with Johnny Crowley, he won an All-Ireland minor hurling and football double in 1974 and he added an U21 hurling medal in 1976. In addition, he was integral to Coláiste Iognaid Rís claiming a Dr Harty Cup-Corn Uí Mhuirí double in 1975.

There were few teething problems as he adjusted to life at inter-county senior level and he had the number 5 jersey on his back for the second and third legs of the three-in-a-row, with wins over Wexford and Kilkenny in 1977 and 1978 respectively.

While Galway ended the hopes of four in a row in 1979, McCurtain won an All-Star that year and also in 1980, after captaining Cork to a national league title. 

Another league followed in 1981 and, while there was disappointment with All-Ireland final losses to Kilkenny in 1982 and 1983, Cork roared back to win the centenary title against Offaly in Thurles in 1984, with McCurtain’s form impeccable all year, earning him a third All-Star, this time in the left half-back spot.

Having moved back to corner-back, further Munster titles in 1985 and 1986 left him with a tally of eight at senior level, though sadly injury ruled him out of the All-Ireland win in the latter year. He retired following the loss to Tipperary in 1987, having served his county well.

His service to Blackrock was stellar too – a part of county-winning sides in 1975, 1978, 1979 and 1985, winning the club All-Ireland after the second of those and being honoured as Cork Club Hurler of the Year for 1979.

Such a legacy provided inspiration for up-and-coming players in green and gold and also red and white. Little wonder that, in 2000, the legendary Blackrock and Cork player John Horgan picked him out as a reference point when assessing Fergal Ryan: “He reminds me of McCurtain; a great reader of the game and teak tough.”