Cork’s Seán Óg Ó hAilpín decides to move on

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Seán Óg Ó hAilpín

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Read more: Sean Og O hAilpin's retirement from inter-county hurling involuntary, he says

Seán Óg Ó hAilpín has officially announced that he will end his 14-year Cork senior hurling career.  He also said that he had departed from the inter-county game content with his contribution.

Ó hAilpín was axed by Cork boss Denis Walsh in October and there was a stong reaction to the fact that Ó hAilpín would not be joining the squad in 2011. However Ó hAilpín is determined that he will move on and focus on the other areas in his life.

"I think it’s no hidden secret now, I’m not going to be involved next year. Whether I agree with it or not, I just have to accept it and move on. Once I know in my own head that it wasn’t me that pulled the plug on it, I’ll move on. Look that was in October, it’s December now and life is moving on for Sean Óg,” he said speaking to the Irish Examiner.

"You’d look back and wonder did you make a contribution because it’s a team sport, it’s not an individual sport. And I’m happy enough that I did make a contribution. So I’ll walk away happy. I saw it as a job but it was a labour of love and I got great enjoyment out of it. The 14 years did go by fairly quickly. But if I had another 14 years, I’d do it all over again.

"I’ll look forward to the other parts of life that will probably open up for me now. I look forward to spending time with the people who have suffered because of my intercounty career. My girlfriend Siobhán has put up with a lot and stuck with me through thick and thin. For once this year we can plan a holiday and actually go away, and not have to think about bringing boots or runners to do a bit of training. As regards work as well, Ulster Bank have been great employers the last number of years, so I owe it to them now to get back to normality and start putting in the hours that are required there."

His departures was followed quickly by his younger brother Aisake. He returned to Australia, to the Melbourne District League, Maribyrnong Park.

Speaking at the Ambassador Hotel, in Cork, on Monday, Sean said his brother is relishing a second stint in Australian Rules.

"He’s flying it. It couldn’t be going better for him now. He’s in Australia, signed up with a Division 2 side. He’s working away. It was 30 degrees when I was talking to him now over the weekend and he was going to St Kilda beach. Look, he’s happy."

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