Ronan Curran has retired from I/C hurling. no real surprise looked off the pace the last couple of seasons. a fine centre back when the mood took him
A fine centre back full stop chewy. Rarely put a foot wrong.
Had a few days where he was taken to the cleaners all the same, Clare in 2005, Waterford in 2007 (think it was 2007 when Prendergast roasting him above in Croker but could have been 2006) are two that spring to mind and other games in recent times where he made limited contributions. Was always a big fan of his and when on his game he was a colossus.
I first seen ronan curran play senior championship with the barrs against st catherines in carrigtwohill circa 1997/1998. He was playing centre back. it was pretty unheard of at the time that a minor would make the barrs senior team yet alone play centre back. He was imperious that night and carried that performance through to outstanding displays with cork minor and u21 teams and later the senior team. He was a truely outstanding centre back from 2003-2006. Sadly the trials and tribulations associated with being a cork senior over this period seem to take its toll and hunger and he was a shadow of the player he was, particularly in the latter stages of his career.
He will be fondly remembered by me as one of the great centre backs in cork hurling. Its great to read that he will continue to hurl with the barrs and is keen to give something back to his club by getting involved with the coaching of underage teams.
Best wishes to Ronan Curran – a class act and particularly in that 2003-06 period, as Fenway mentions. He pretty much singlehandedly stopped Wexford from winning the 2003 drawn All Ireland semi-final and I think it’s generally accepted in hurling circles that we would have won that final had we advanced.
Is it yeah? 
[quote=“cluaindiuic, post: 593456”]
Is it yeah? :D[/quote]
Correct. Naturally the 2004 ambush would have occurred a year earlier.
Curran is young enough isn’t he? Would he be 30 yet?
Great hurler though.
An awesome player on his day. Should be remembered as one of the great centre-backs for changing the way in which the position could be played.
first time I saw him was a league match in the Park in 2003. he totally dominated. This was our first outing after the legendary 3 in a row U21 titles.
Right, less than a week to go.
Who has rumours / speculations / “A fella I know who would be close to the panel” or “the oul fella was talking to Declan Ryan’s uncle last night, and said” type comments to share? Locke?
Are KK training for the assault on Normandy as per previous years?
Dunno about that but there’s a rumour doing the rounds that this may be Cody’s last game, win or lose. Or just a ploy by Cody to get them hungry for it 
I felt from the league final they’d win it out though, so I’ll stick with it. & Michael Fennelly for POTY please
are 12k still turning up?
Corbett and Padraic Maher the only challengers to Fennelly for HOTY in my book. Most lads I’ve been talking to are going for Kilkenny. A lot of people expecting a massive performance from Kilkenny’s backs. I reckon their forwards need to improve more than their backs to be honest.
This feels an awful lot like 2006 to me.
I remember watching Henry Shefflin take a late free in the semi final against Clare and willing himself to get it. It looked like he was saying to himself “Get this and we get a crack at Cork”.
There will be war in the first 10 minutes. Who comes out of that on top will tell who has the hunger and that will decide everything.
I have absolutely no doubt in my mind that we can win this.
What are you on about?
[quote=“cluaindiuic, post: 593466”]There will be war in the first 10 minutes.
[/quote]
I agree with this. Think there’ll be markers being laid down all over the place.
His style of centre-back play was a major departure from the norm at the time. Players like Seanie McMahon, Ken McGrath, Peter Barry played the position very differently. Curran was way more mobile. The likes of Brick Walsh are from the Curran style of centre-back play.
Interesting and not something I would disagree with…
Would this suggest that Doyle and Daly were stronger performers than O’Halpin and Gardiner?