| Code: | Hurling |
| Sport: | Hurling |
| Damien Cahalane | |
| Irish: | Damien Ó Cathaláin |
| Feet: | 6 |
| Inches: | 2 |
| Occupation: | Bar owner |
| County: | Cork |
| Province: | Munster |
| Club: | Castlehaven St Finbarr's |
| Clcountyh: | 1 |
| Clcountyf: | 2 |
| Colleges: | University College Cork |
| Colyears: | 2011- |
| Fitz: | 0 |
| Counties: | Cork |
| Icposition: | Full-back |
| Icyears: | 2012-present |
| Icapps(Points): | 31 (0-02) |
| Icprovince: | 3 |
| Icallireland: | 0 |
| Nhl: | 0 |
| Allstars: | 0 |
| Icupdate: | 21:52, 3 July 2021 |
| Birth Date: | 10 August 1992 |
| Birth Place: | Wilton, Cork, Ireland |
Damien Cahalane (born 10 August 1992) is an Irish hurler and Gaelic footballer who plays as a centre-back for club sides St Finbarr's and Castlehaven and as a full-back at senior level with the Cork county hurling team.
Cahalane was born in Wilton, Cork. His father, Niall Cahalane, and his uncle, John Cleary, won All-Ireland medals as members of the Cork senior football team in 1989 and 1990.[1] His aunt, Nollaig Cleary, won nine All-Ireland medals with Cork.[2] His brother, Conor Cahalane, has also played for Cork.
Cahalane first came to prominence as a dual player with Coláiste an Spioraid Naoimh in Bishopstown. Having played both codes at every grade, he won a Cork Colleges Under-16½ B medal in 2009.
As a student at University College Cork, Cahalane also became involved in Gaelic games. On 8 March 2012, he won an All-Ireland Freshers Championship medal following a 0–24 to 3–11 defeat of the University of Limerick.[3]
In spite of living in Cork city, Cahalane joined the Castlehaven football club in West Cork at a young age and played in all grades at juvenile and underage levels, winning two divisional under-21 championship medals and a county under-21 championship medal in 2010. He simultaneously played hurling with the St Finbarr's club.[4] [5] On 8 October 2012, Cahalane was at centre-back when Castlehaven defeated Duhallow by 1-7 to 0-9 to win the county senior championship.[6] Castlehaven retained the title on 13 October 2013 after a two-point defeat of Nemo Rangers, with Cahalane winning a second championship medal.[7]
Cahalane first played for Cork as a member of the minor football team in 2009. A dual player in his second season at minor, he won a Munster medal with the footballers after a one-point defeat of Kerry in the final.[8] On 19 September 2010, Cahalane was at midfield when Cork were defeated by Tyrone in the All-Ireland final.[9]
Cahalane continued his dual status with the Cork under-21 teams, however, he enjoyed little success with the hurling team. During his three years with the Cork under-21 footballers, the team remained undefeated in the provincial championship, with Cahalane winning successive Munster medals in 2011, 2012 and 2013.[10] [11] [12] Cahalane was captain of the team for the third title.[13] On 4 May 2013, Cahalane was at full-back when Cork suffered a 1-14 to 1-11 defeat by Galway in the All-Ireland final.[14]
Cahalane made his senior debut for Cork in a Waterford Crystal Cup defeat of Kerry on 4 February 2012.[15] He made his first start in a National League game in a four-point defeat of Galway on 18 March 2012, before making his first championship start at full-back later that season in an All-Ireland Qualifier against Wexford.[16] [17] The following season, Cahalane switched codes to Gaelic football, making his senior debut in a McGrath Cup game on 6 January 2013.[18] [19] He made his first start in a National League game in a 1-18 to 2-09 defeat by Dublin on 2 February 2013, before making his first championship start later that season in a Munster Championship quarter-final against Limerick.[20] [21] Cahalane underwent a double hip operation at the end of the season.[22]
At the start of 2014, Cahalane committed to playing for both the Cork senior hurling and football teams for the upcoming season.[23] [24] Following Cork's defeat by Kerry in the Munster final, Cahalane suffered a large gash to his heel when he stepped on a medicinal vial in the shower in Páirc Uí Chaoimh.[25] The injury threatened his participation in the provincial hurling final, however, on 13 July 2014, Cahalane won his first Munster medal after a six-point defeat of Limerick.[26]
At the end of the 2014 season Cahalane decided to end his association with the Cork football team and to concentrate on hurling.[27] [28] On 9 July 2017, he won his second Munster medal following a 1-25 to 1-20 defeat of Clare in the final.[29]
On 1 July 2018, Cahalane won a third Munster medal following a 2-24 to 3-19 defeat of Clare in the final.[30]
| Team | Year | National League | Munster | All-Ireland | Total | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Score | Apps | Score | Apps | Score | Apps | Score | |||
| Cork | 2012 | Division 1A | 1 | 0-00 | 0 | 0-00 | 1 | 0-00 | 2 | 0-00 | |
| 2013 | — | — | — | — | |||||||
| 2014 | Division 1B | 2 | 0-00 | 4 | 0-01 | 1 | 0-00 | 7 | 0-01 | ||
| 2015 | Division 1A | 5 | 0-00 | 1 | 0-00 | 3 | 0-01 | 9 | 0-01 | ||
| 2016 | 5 | 0-01 | 1 | 0-00 | 2 | 0-00 | 8 | 0-01 | |||
| 2017 | 4 | 0-00 | 3 | 0-00 | 1 | 0-00 | 8 | 0-00 | |||
| 2018 | 1 | 0-00 | 5 | 0-00 | 1 | 0-00 | 7 | 0-00 | |||
| 2019 | 5 | 0-00 | 2 | 0-00 | 2 | 0-00 | 9 | 0-00 | |||
| 2020 | 2 | 0-04 | 1 | 0-00 | 2 | 0-00 | 5 | 0-04 | |||
| 2021 | 4 | 0-01 | 1 | 0-00 | 0 | 0-00 | 5 | 0-01 | |||
| Career total | 29 | 0-06 | 18 | 0-01 | 13 | 0-01 | 60 | 0-08 | |||
2023
2010
2014, 2017, 2018
2011, 2012, 2013 (c)
2010