Damien Cahalane unlikely to be involved in Cork hurling squad in 2027

Damien Cahalane will not be part of the Cork senior hurling panel in 2027, according to reports.

The St Finbarr’s man made his senior hurling debut for the Rebels in 2012 before a switch to football in 2013. Following a season as a dual inter-county player in 2014, he opted to focus on hurling only from 2015 and was a regular fixture in the side for much of the next decade.

Ben O’Connor’s side are due to convene later this month for training for the coming season but the Irish Sun is now reporting that Cahalane, 34 in August, will not feature.

During his time in red and white, Cahalane won four Munster SHC medals – 2014, 2017, 2018 and 2025 – starting in each of those finals, while he was involved in three All-Ireland losses, in 2021, 2024 and 2025 as well as earning an Allianz Hurling League medal in the latter of those years.

The departure of Cahalane – a winner of four Cork SFC medals with Castlehaven as well as a senior hurling title with the Barrs – continues the transition of the county hurling squad that was seen with the retirement of Séamus Harnedy and omission of Declan Dalton last month, while Patrick Horgan retired at the end of 2025 and Conor Lehane was left off the squad.

Cork’s first action of 2027 will be Co-op SuperStores Munster Hurling League games against Tipperary and Waterford, with the possibility of a game in the final of that competition before the national league campaign opens with a trip to Tipp on the weekend of January 23/24.