Martin Coleman

Martin Coleman (born 1 August 1950) was an Irish hurler and selector.

Coleman first played for the Ballinhassig club at adult level in the late 1960s.

After beginning his career at club level with Ballinhassig, Coleman joined the Cork minor team as a 16-year-old in 1967 and won an All-Ireland Minor Championship in his debut year.

Coleman first played for Cork when he joined the minor team as a member of the extended panel in advance of the 1967 Munster Minor Championship.

He made his first appearance for the team on 14 May 1967 when he was introduced as a substitute at centre-forward for Kevin Fitzgerald, before later claiming a Munster Minor Championship medal as a non-playing substitute after a 4-10 to 0-03 defeat of Limerick in the final.

On 3 September 1967, Coleman was again selected amongst the substitutes for the All-Ireland final and ended the game with a winners' medal after the 2-15 to 5-03 defeat of Wexford.

He was again eligible for the minor grade in 1968 and took over from Willie Glavin as first-choice goalkeeper.

Coleman claimed his first Munster Championship medal on the field of play that year after the 7-08 to 4-02 victory over Waterford before later lining out in goal in the 2-13 to 3-07 defeat by Wexford in the All-Ireland final.

His career included All-Ireland Championship victories as goalkeeper with Cork's three-in-a-row team of the 1970s and later as a selector with various Cork teams.

After winning back-to-back All-Ireland Under-21 Championships, he was promoted to the Cork senior team in 1970.

During that time he was part of four All-Ireland Championship-winning teams – in 1970, 1976, 1977 and 1978.

Walsh also secured six Munster Championship medals and three National Hurling League medals.

After his playing career, Coleman found success as an inter-county selector.

He claimed his first major silverware with the club in 1970 when the club secured the South East Junior Championship after a 3-12 to 3-03 defeat of Ballymartle.

Two years later, Coleman took over from Bernard Hurley as goalkeeper with the Cork under-21 team and collected his first Munster Under-21 Championship medal after 3-11 to 2-07 defeat of Tipperary in the 1970 Munster final.

He later won his first All-Ireland Under-21 Championship medal after again lining out in goal in Cork's 5-17 to 0-08 victory over Wexford in a final replay.

Coleman was in his second and final year of being eligible for the under-21 grade when he won a second successive provincial winners' medal following a five-point win over Tipperary.

His last game for the team saw Cork secure a record fourth successive All-Ireland Championship, with Coleman claiming a second successive winners' medal after the 7-08 to 1-11 win over Wexford.

Coleman's performances at under-21 level saw him supplant John Mitchell as second-choice goalkeeper with the Cork senior team shortly after the 1970 Munster Championship.

He made his championship debut on 16 August 1970 as a replacement for the injured Paddy Barry in Cork's 4-20 to 2-09 All-Ireland semi-final defeat of Antrim.

Coleman was later included as a panellist for the All-Ireland final against Wexford and ended the game with a winners' medal after the 6-20 to 5-11 victory.

Coleman's side again defeated Ballylartle to win a second successive divisional title in 1971 before losing out to Bandon in the County Junior Championship.

Coleman remained as understudy to Paddy Barry over the next few seasons and claimed his first silverware when he was sub-goalkeeper when Cork defeated Limerick to secure the 1971-72 National League title.

Later that year he won his first Munster Championship medal as a non-playing substitute after Cork's 6-18 to 2-08 defeat of Clare in the 1972 Munster final and was also included as a panel member when Cork suffered a 3-24 to 5-11 defeat by Kilkenny in the 1972 All-Ireland final.

He collected a third divisional winners' medal in four years in 1973 before winning a county junior championship medal following a four-point defeat of Meelin in the final.

Coleman won a second National League winners' medal after Cork defeated Limerick by 6-15 to 1-12 to claim the 1973-74 title.

Coleman won a Cork Intermediate Championship title in 1975 after Ballinhassig's 3-12 to 2-05 defeat of Blackrock in the final.

He became Cork's first-choice goalkeeper at the end of the year after Paddy Barry's retirement from inter-county hurling and won his first Munster medal on the field of play following a 3–14 to 0–12 defeat of Limerick in the 1975 Munster final.

Coleman ended the season by receiving his first All-Star nomination.

After claiming a third provincial winners' medal in 1976, Coleman later lined out in the first All-Ireland final of his career when Cork faced Wexford.

He conceded two goals within the first eight minutes but ended the game with his second winners' medal after Cork staged a comeback to win by 2-21 to 4-11.

Coleman ended the season by being nominated for an All-Star for the second year in succession.

After one season in the Cork Senior Championship, Ballinhassig regraded to intermediate level and secured a second title in 1977 after a five-point victory over Ballyhea.

Coleman won his fourth Munster Championship medal after a 4-15 to 4-10 defeat of league champions Clare in the 1977 Munster final, before later playing in a second successive All-Ireland final against Wexford.

He made a string of vital saves in the last few minutes as Wexford went in search of an equalising goal, however, he collected a second successive winners' medal after the 1-17 to 3-08 victory.

Coleman described the win as the "dream of a lifetime realised" and received a third successive All-Star nomination at the end of the season.

Coleman eventually succeeded Paddy Barry as Cork's first-choice goalkeeper and made a total of 19 championship appearances in a career that ended with his last appearance in 1980.

Coleman's side failed in their attempt to secure a third intermediate title after a 1-14 to 1-06 defeat by Cloughduv in the 1983 final.

He was part of the senior management team that guided Cork to the 1990 All-Ireland Championship as well as two Munster Championships and a National League title over a three-year period.

He later served as a selector with the Cork under-21 team that secured back-to-back All-Ireland Championships in 1997 and 1998.