Ronan Curran

Ronan Curran (born 26 February 1981) is an Irish hurling manager and former hurler who played for Cork Senior Championship club St Finbarr's.

He is the current manager of the Kanturk senior hurling team.

Curran played for the Cork senior hurling team for 10 years, during which time he made a record number of appearances as a centre-back.

Described as the outstanding centre-back of the decade, his half-back-line partnership with Seán Óg Ó hAilpín and John Gardiner is regarded as one of the greatest of all time.

Curran began his career at club level with St Finbarr's. After championship success in the minor grades in both hurling and Gaelic football, he spent much of his adult career as a dual player at the highest level.

Curran first came to prominence on the inter-county scene as a dual player in the late 1990s.

At inter-county level, Curran was part of the successful Cork minor team that won the All-Ireland Championship in 1998 before an unsuccessful three-year stint with the under-21 team.

In 1998 he was a key member of the Cork minor hurling team that reached the provincial decider.

Clare provided the opposition on that occasion, however, they proved no match for a superior Cork side.

A 3–13 to 0–8 trouncing gave Curran a Munster minor hurling winners' medal.

Cork later qualified for the All-Ireland final against arch-rivals Kilkenny with Curran lining out at centre-back.

The game proved to be an easy one for the young 'Rebels', as Cork won by 2–15 to 1–9.

It was Curran's first All-Ireland winners' medal in the minor hurling grade.

Cork surrendered their provincial hurling title in 1999, however, Curran enjoyed some more success with the Cork minor football team.

That year he won a Munster winners' medal with the Cork minor football team following a 2–16 to 1–9 defeat of old rivals Kerry.

Cork, however, were subsequently defeated in the All-Ireland semi-final.

Curran subsequently joined the Cork under-21 football and hurling teams; however, he experienced little success in this grade.

Curran's performances at under-age levels brought him to the attentions of the Cork selectors at senior level.

He joined the Cork senior team in 2001.

Curran won his first All-Star in 2003, before claiming a further two All-Stars in 2004 and 2006.

He made his senior championship debut in 2003, a year which saw Cork's players emerge from a bitter stand-off with the county board and reach the Munster final for the first time in three years.

Waterford provided the opposition on that occasion as one of hurling's modern rivalries began in earnest.

An exciting game resulted between the two teams; however, victory went to Cork by 3–16 to 3–12.

It was Curran's first Munster winners' medal in the senior grade and it gave a signal that Cork were back.

Cork were hot favourites going into the subsequent All-Ireland semi-final against Wexford, however, it was far from a walkover.

In one of the most exciting games of the championship both sides finished level: Cork 2–20, Wexford 3–17.

During that time he was part of two All-Ireland Championship-winning teams – in 2004 and 2005.

Curran also secured three Munster Championship medals.

At inter-provincial level, he was selected to play in three championship campaigns with Munster, with his sole Railway Cup medal being won in 2005.

Curran plays his club hurling and Gaelic football with St Finbarr's club on the south side of Cork city.

He first came to prominence as a dual player at under-age levels; however, he experienced little success in the minor or under-21 grades.

In 2007, after fifty years of playing in the top flight of the county senior football championship, St Finbarr's were relegated to the intermediate level.

Curran enjoyed his only success at senior level when he won a Premier Intermediate Football Championship medal in 2008 and a return to the top flight of Cork football.

His early prowess also saw him selected for the Cork Institute of Technology in the Fitzgibbon Cup.

This grade of football did not pose and problem to Curran's side, as they reached the final in 2008.

St Vincent's provided the opposition on that occasion; however, 'the Barr's' were held to a draw.

The replay a week later was more conclusive.

St Finbarr's won by 2–13 to 0–14, giving Curran a county premier intermediate championship winners' medal.

Curran eventually became Cork's first-choice centre-back and made a combined total of 97 National League and Championship appearances in a career that ended with his last game in 2011.

He announced his retirement from inter-county hurling on 24 August 2011.