Colm Spillane

{{short description|Irish hurler}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=June 2021}}

{{Use Hiberno-English|date=June 2021}}

{{infobox Gaelic games player

|image =

|name = Colm Spillane

|irish = Colm Ó Spealáin

|nickname =

|occupation = Secondary school teacher

|birth_date = {{birth date and age|1993|7|1|df=yes}}

|birth_place = Castlelyons, County Cork, Ireland

|feet = 6

|inches = 0

|sport = Hurling

|code = Hurling

|county = Cork

|province = Munster

|club = Castlelyons
University College Cork
Imokilly

|clyears = 2010-present
2015-2016
2017-2018

|clapps(points) =

|clcounty = 2

|clprovince =

|clallireland =

|colleges = University College Cork

|fitz = 0

|colyears = 2012-2017

|counties = Cork

|icyears = 2013-2021

|icposition = Left corner-back

|icapps(points) = 13 (0-01)

|icprovince = 2

|icallireland = 0

|nhl = 0

|allstars = 0

|clupdate =

|icupdate = 21:52, 31 July 2021

}}

Colm Spillane (born 1 July 1993) is an Irish hurler who plays for Cork Championship club Castlelyons. He played for the Cork senior hurling team at various stages between 2013 and 2021, during which time he usually lined out as a corner-back.

Spillane began his hurling career at club level with Castlelyons. He broke onto the club's top adult team as a 16-year-old in 2010, before later lining out for University College Cork and Imokilly, winning consecutive County Championship titles with the latter.

At inter-county level, Spillane enjoyed five consecutive but unsuccessful seasons with the Cork minor and under-21 teams, before later winning an All-Ireland Intermediate Championship title. He joined the Cork senior team in 2013. Spillane's senior career was blighted by a series of injuries, however, he made a combined total of 31 National League and Championship appearances in a career that ended with his last game in 2021. During that time he was part of two Munster Championship-winning teams – in 2017 and 2018. Spillane was an All-Ireland Championship runner-up on one occasion. He announced his retirement from inter-county hurling on 6 December 2021.

Playing career

=College=

Spillane first came to prominence as a hurler with St. Colman's College in Fermoy. Having played hurling in every grade during his time at the school, winning a White Cup title in the under-15 grade, he usually lined out in the forwards on the senior team in the Harty Cup.{{cite web|url=https://www.eveningecho.ie/corksport/Spillane-It-was-always-my-dream-to-wear-the-Rebel-red-6875804f-bcce-47cd-ba71-062b9700b876-ds|title=Spillane: It was always my dream to wear the Rebel red|date=29 June 2018|publisher=Evening Echo|accessdate=6 July 2018|first=Éamonn|last=Murphy}}{{cite web|url=http://www.irishexaminer.com/sport/gaa/flannans-firepower-sinks-brave-colmans-challenge-142596.html|title=Flannans' firepower sinks brave Colmans' challenge|date=20 January 2011|publisher=Irish Examiner|accessdate=20 May 2017|first=Diarmuid|last=O'Flynn}}

=University=

As a student at University College Cork, Spillane joined the college senior team. In 2017 he was captain of the team for the Fitzgibbon Cup, while he has also lined out with the college in the county championship.{{cite web|url=https://www.irishtimes.com/sport/gaelic-games/late-surge-seals-fitzgibbon-cup-semi-final-spot-for-ucc-1.2975645|title=Late surge seals Fitzgibbon Cup semi-final spot for UCC|date=25 February 2017|publisher=Irish Times|accessdate=6 July 2018|first=|last=}}{{cite web|url=https://www.irishexaminer.com/sport/gaa/jamie-barron-defends-uccs-place-in-cork-championship-459794.html|title=Jamie Barron defends UCC's place in Cork championship|date=27 September 2017|publisher=Irish Examiner|accessdate=6 July 2018|first=John|last=Fogarty}}

=Club=

Spillane joined the Castlelyons club at a young age and played in all grades at juvenile and underage levels, winning an under-21 championship medal in 2010 following a defeat of Ballinascarthy. He has also been selected for divisional side Imokilly in the senior championship.{{cite web|url=https://www.independent.ie/regionals/corkman/sport/gaa/muskerry-downed-by-imokilly-36754383.html|title=Muskerry downed by Imokilly

|date=31 March 2018|publisher=The Corkman|accessdate=6 July 2018|first=|last=}}

=Inter-county=

==Minor, under-21 and intermediate==

Spillane first played for Cork at minor level on 26 June 2010 in a draw with Waterford.{{cite web|url=http://munster.gaa.ie/2010/06/26/esb-munster-minor-hurling-championship-semi-final-cork-v-waterford/|title=Winners all round in another minor thriller|date=28 June 2010|publisher=Irish Examiner|accessdate=6 July 2018|first=Brendan|last=Larkin}} He was captain of the team for Cork's unsuccessful season in 2011 before playing for three unsuccessful seasons with the Cork under-21 team. By this stage, Spillane had also joined the Cork intermediate team, winning a Munster medal on 25 June 2014 after a 4-15 to 2-08 defeat of Tipperary.{{cite web|url=https://www.independent.ie/sport/gaelic-games/hurling/hattrick-hero-drake-inspires-rebels-30385796.html|title=Hat-Trick hero Drake inspires Rebels|date=26 June 2014|publisher=Irish Independent|accessdate=6 July 2018|first=|last=}} On 9 August 2014, he won an All-Ireland medal following a 2-18 to 2-12 defeat of Wexford in the final.{{cite web|url=https://www.irishexaminer.com/sport/gaa/third-quarter-surge-sends-cork-on-way-279075.html|title=Third quarter surge sends Cork on way|date=11 August 2014|publisher=Irish Examiner|accessdate=6 July 2018|first=Daragh|last=Ó Conchúir}}

==Senior==

Spillane made his senior debut for Cork on 19 January 2013 in a Waterford Crystal Cup defeat of University College Cork at the Mardyke Arena.{{cite web|url=https://www.irishexaminer.com/sport/gaa/hurling/encouraging-signs-from-rebels-220234.html|title=Encouraging signs from Rebels|date=21 June 2013|publisher=Irish Examiner|accessdate=6 July 2018|first=Diarmuid|last=O'Flynn}} He made his first start in a National League relegation play-off defeat by Clare on 14 April 2013.{{cite web|url=http://www.the42.ie/ht-cork-lead-at-the-break-of-hurling-relegation-final-869262-Apr2013/|title=Clare win out in relegation final after extra-time|date=14 April 2013|publisher=The 42|accessdate=6 July 2018|first=|last=}}

Spillane was a regular member of the league panel for the 2014 campaign, before being released prior to the start of the championship and being omitted completely in 2015.{{cite web|url=http://www.the42.ie/cork-hurling-jimmy-barry-murphy-1396559-Apr2014/|title=Five out and two in as Cork hurlers finalise senior championship panel|date=3 April 2014|publisher=The 42|accessdate=6 July 2018|first=|last=}}

Spillane returned to the senior panel in 2016, however, he missed the latter stages of the league and the championship after suffering a cruciate ligament injury in a game against Waterford.{{cite web|url=http://www.the42.ie/colm-spillane-cork-2619218-Feb2016/|title=Setback for Cork as defender out for season after tearing cruciate in Waterford game|date=23 February 2016|publisher=The 42|accessdate=6 July 2018|first=|last=}}{{cite web|url=https://www.irishexaminer.com/breakingnews/sport/huge-blow-to-cork-hurlers-as-colm-spillane-ruled-out-with-long-term-injury-722006.html|title='Huge blow' to Cork hurlers as Colm Spillane ruled out with long-term injury|date=23 February 2016|publisher=Irish EXaminer|accessdate=6 July 2018|first=|last=}}

After recovering, he made his first championship start on 21 May 2017 in a Munster Championship quarter-final defeat of Tipperary.{{cite web|url=http://www.the42.ie/clare-team-to-face-cork-2-3232174-Feb2017/|title=Kieran Kingston hands league debuts to five U21s in new-look Cork side|date=10 February 2017|publisher=The 42|accessdate=5 July 2018|first=|last=}} On 9 July 2017, Spillane won his first Munster medal following a 1-25 to 1-20 defeat of Clare in the final.{{cite web|url=https://www.irishexaminer.com/breakingnews/sport/cork-victorious-over-clare-in-munster-hurling-final-797054.html|title=Cork victorious over Clare in Munster hurling final|date=9 July 2017|publisher=Irish Examiner|accessdate=5 July 2018|first=|last=}}

On 1 July 2018, Spillane won a second successive Munster medal following a 2-24 to 3-19 defeat of Clare in the final.{{cite web|url=https://www.irishtimes.com/sport/gaelic-games/hurling/cork-quietly-collect-another-munster-title-as-clare-crumble-1.3550274|title=Cork quietly collect another Munster title as Clare crumble|date=1 July 2018|publisher=Irish Times|accessdate=5 July 2018|first=Malachy|last=Clerkin}} He ended the season by being nominated for an All-Star Award.{{cite web|url=http://hoganstand.com/Article/Index/290289|title=All Star hurling nominees: 15 Limerick players in contention|date=13 September 2018|publisher=Hogan Stand|accessdate=13 September 2018|first=|last=}}

On 5 March 2019, it was confirmed that Spillane, who had missed the early stages of the National League, was not able to get back to full training until closer to the Munster Championship.{{cite web|url=https://www.echolive.ie/corksport/Spillane-is-still-on-the-road-to-recovery-though-Mark-Ellis-has-returned-to-training-07f31b05-460a-4c07-8467-c3cae31b4cec-ds|title=Spillane is still on the road to recovery though Mark Ellis has returned to training|date=5 March 2019|publisher=Echo Live|accessdate=7 January 2019|first=John|last=Horgan}} The extent of his injuries resulted in Spillane missing the entire championship campaign.{{cite web|url=https://www.echolive.ie/corksport/Meyler-confirms-Colm-Spillane-will-miss-the-Cork-and-Tipp-clash-07612949-cdfe-4e47-97d5-7700bd1cf056-ds|title=Meyler confirms Colm Spillane will miss the Cork and Tipp clash|date=26 April 2019|publisher=Echo Live|accessdate=7 January 2019|first=John|last=Horgan}}

On 7 January 2020, Spillane returned to the Cork senior team when he lined out at right corner-back in Cork's 2-18 to 1-20 defeat by University College Cork in the Canon O'Brien Cup.{{cite web|url=https://www.irishexaminer.com/breakingnews/sport/gaa/colm-spillane-returns-as-cork-name-team-for-canon-obrien-cup-973943.html|title=Colm Spillane returns as Cork name team for Canon O'Brien Cup|date=6 January 2020|publisher=Irish Examiner|accessdate=7 January 2019|first=Denis|last=Hurley}}

Career statistics

class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
rowspan="2"|Team

!rowspan="2"|Year

!colspan="3"|National League

!colspan="2"|Munster

!colspan="2"|All-Ireland

!colspan="2"|Total

DivisionAppsScoreAppsScoreAppsScoreAppsScore
rowspan="9"|Cork

|2013

|rowspan="1"|Division 1A

|1

0-0000-0000-0010-00
2014

|rowspan="1"|Division 1B

|1

0-00colspan=2|—colspan=2|—10-00
2015

|rowspan="7"|Division 1A

|colspan=2|—

colspan=2|—colspan=2|—colspan=2|—
2016

|1

0-0000-0000-0010-00
2017

|6

0-0030-0010-00100-00
2018

|5

0-0250-0110-00110-03
2019

|colspan=2|—

colspan=2|—colspan=2|—colspan=2|—
2020

|4

0-0000-0020-0060-00
2021

|0

0-0000-0010-0010-00
colspan="3"|Total

|18||0-02||8||0-01||5||0-00||31||0-03

Honours

References

{{reflist}}