Jim Cashman

James Cashman (born 9 June 1965) is an Irish retired hurler who played as a centre-back for the Cork senior team.

Born in Blackrock, Cork, Cashman first played competitive hurling during his schooling at Coláiste Chríost Rí.

He arrived on the inter-county scene at the age of sixteen when he first linked up with the Cork minor team before later joining the under-21 side.

Cashman first played for Cork as a goalkeeper on the minor team on 16 May 1981 in a 2–6 to 0–6 Munster semi-final defeat by Clare.

He was moved to centre-back the following year before being dropped to the substitutes' bench in his final year as a minor in 1983.

He made his senior debut during the 1985 Oireachtas Cup.

Cashman subsequently became a regular member of the starting fifteen and won two All-Ireland medals, three Munster medals and one National Hurling League medal.

He was an All-Ireland runner-up on one occasion.

As a member of the Munster inter-provincial team on a number of occasions, Cashman won one Railway Cup medal.

At club level he is a two-time championship medallist with Blackrock.

Cashman's father, Mick Cashman, his uncle, Jimmy Brohan, and his brother, Tom Cashman, all played for Cork.

Throughout his career Cashman made 29 championship appearances.

In 1985 Blackrock faced Midleton in the championship decider.

Cashman, in the company of his brother Tom, Michael Browne, Kilkennyman Frank Cummins, Éamonn O'Donoghue and Finbarr Delaney, gave a masterful display.

A 1–14 to 1–8 victory gave Cashman, who also earned the man of the match award, a first championship medal.

After failing to retain the title Blackrock went into a period of decline.

In 1985 Cashman joined the Cork under-21 team, however, his two-year tenure in this grade ended without success.

Cashman made his senior debut for Cork on 10 November 1985 in a 2–11 to 1–10 Oireachtas final defeat of Galway.

He was a regular throughout the subsequent league campaign and was included in Cork's championship team in 1986.

Cork made it five-in-a-row in Munster that year as they defeated Clare by 2–18 to 3–12 to take the provincial title.

It was Cashman's first Munster medal.

This victory paved the way for an All-Ireland final meeting with Galway on 7 September 1986.

The men from the west were the red-hot favourites against a Cork team in decline, however, on the day a different story unfolded.

Four Cork goals, one from John Fenton, two from Tomás Mulcahy and one from Kevin Hennessy, stymied the Galway attack and helped the Rebels to a 4–13 to 2–15 victory.

It was Cashman's first All-Ireland medal.

In 1990 Cork bounced back after a period in decline.

He won his second Munster medal that year following a 4–16 to 2–14 defeat of Tipperary.

The subsequent All-Ireland final on 2 September 1990 pitted Cork against Galway for the second time in four years.

Galway were once again the red-hot favourites and justified this tag by going seven points ahead in the opening thirty-five minutes thanks to a masterful display by Cashman's opposite number Joe Cooney.

Cork fought back with an equally expert display by captain Tomás Mulcahy.

The game was effectively decided on an incident which occurred midway through the second half when Cork goalkeeper Ger Cunningham blocked a point-blank shot from Martin Naughton with his nose.

His retirement came following the conclusion of the 1996 championship.

In retirement from playing Cashman became involved in team management and coaching.

At club level he has been involved in coaching at underage levels with Blackrock.

Cashman is regarded as one of Cork's best players of his era.

During his playing days he won two All-Star awards.

After losing the 1998 decider to Imokilly, Cashman lined out in a fourth championship decider the following year.

A 3–17 to 0–8 trouncing of University College Cork, with Cashman giving a man of the match display again, gave him a second championship medal.

Cashman was also chosen as one of the 25 best Cork players of the past 25 years in a 2013 poll.

After enjoying little championship success in the minor and under-21 grades with Blackrock, Cashman subsequently joined the senior team.