Michael Cussen

{{Infobox Gaelic games player

| code= Hurling

| image =

| name = Michael Cussen

| irish = Mícheál Cúisín

| fullname = Michael Cussen

| birth_place = Glanmire, County Cork, Ireland

| feet = 6

| inches = 7

| occupation = Garda Síochána

| county = Cork

| province = Munster

| club =

| clpositionh = Full Forward

| clpositionf = Full Forward

| clubs = Glanmire / Sarsfields

| clyears =

| clapps(points) =

| clcountyh = 3

| clcountyf = 0

| counties = Cork (football)
Cork (hurling)

| icpositionh = Full-forward

| icpositionf = Full-forward

| icyears = 2007–2009 2015–present
2010–2015

| icapps(points) = 12 (2–5)
7 (0–2)

| icprovincef = 1

| icprovinceh= 0

| icallirelandh= 0

| icallirelandf = 0

| allstarsf= 0

| allstarsh= 0

| nhl = 0

| nfl = 0

| clupdate =

| icupdate = 15:02, 20 August 2013

| birth_date={{Birth date and age|df=yes|1984|4|11}}

}}

Michael Cussen (born 11 April 1984) is an Irish hurler and footballer who played as a full-forward for the Cork senior team.

Born in Glanmire, County Cork, Cussen first played competitive hurling and Gaelic football in his youth. He arrived on the inter-county scene at the age of eighteen when he first linked up with the Cork minor football team, before later lining out with the under-21 sides in both codes. He made his senior debut with the footballers in the 2007 championship. Cussen went on to play a key role for Cork, and won one Munster medal as well as being an All-Ireland runner-up on two occasions. In 2010 he switched codes and joined the Cork senior hurling team.

At club level Cussen has won three championship medals with Sarsfields. He plays football with its sister club Glanmire.

Playing career

=Club=

After coming to prominence at underage levels, winning a championship medal in the under-21 hurling grade, Cussen later went on to become a key player st senior level.

On 28 September 2008 he lined out in his first senior championship decider with Bride Rovers providing the opposition. Cussen scored 1–2, however, a goal by Robert O'Driscoll with seven minutes of normal time left proved the decisive score as Sarsfields claimed a 2–14 to 2–13 victory.{{cite web|url=http://www.examiner.ie/irishexaminer/pages/story.aspx-qqqg=sport-qqqm=GAA-qqqa=sport-qqqid=73440-qqqx=1.asp |title=Sars young guns bridge 51-year gap |publisher=Irish Examiner |date=29 September 2008 |access-date=24 October 2008 |first=Brendan |last=Larkin |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110521144415/http://www.examiner.ie/irishexaminer/pages/story.aspx-qqqg%3Dsport-qqqm%3DGAA-qqqa%3Dsport-qqqid%3D73440-qqqx%3D1.asp |archive-date=21 May 2011 }} It was his first championship medal.

After surrendering their championship crown to Newtownshandrum in 2009, Sarsfields reached a third successive championship decider on 10 October 2010.{{cite web|url=http://www.irishexaminer.com/archives/2009/1012/ireland/newtown-know-how-snuffs-out-sars-103100.html|title=Newtown know-how snuffs out Sars|publisher=Irish Examiner|date=12 October 2009|access-date=20 August 2013|first=Diarmuid|last=O'Flynn}} Glen Rovers, who were playing in their first championship decider in nineteen years, provided the opposition. Cussen, in spite of failing to score himself, set up Kieran Murphy for a key point late in the game. A narrow 1–17 to 0–18 victory gave him a second championship medal.{{cite web|url=http://www.irishexaminer.com/archives/2010/1011/ireland/sars-show-true-grit-to-battle-back-for-victory-133163.html|title=Sars show true grit to battle back for victory|publisher=Irish Examiner|date=11 October 2010|access-date=20 August 2013|first=Diarmuid|last=O'Flynn}}

Sarsfields failed to retain the title once again, however, on 7 October 2012 Cussen lined out in his fourth championship decider in five years. Sars were the more experienced side as Bishopstown were the surprise finalists. In spite of this, it took a late goal from Robert O'Driscoll to secure a 1–15 to 1–13 victory.{{cite web|url=http://www.irishexaminer.com/archives/2012/1008/ireland/style-and-steel-seal-third-title-in-five-years-for-sars-210162.html|title=Style and steel seal third title in five years for Sars |publisher=Irish Examiner|date=8 October 2012|access-date=20 August 2013|first=Michael|last=Moynihan}}

=Inter-county=

Cussen first came to prominence on the inter-county scene as a member of the Cork minor football panel in 2002. The following year he was on the Cork under-21 football panel, however, he enjoyed little success in these grades.

By 2005 Cussen had progressed onto the Cork under-21 hurling team and was at full-forward for the championship. A 4–8 to 0–13 defeat of Tipperary in the provincial decider helped him secure a Munster medal in this grade.

Cussen made his senior football debut in a National Football League against Dublin in 2007. He later received his first championship start in a Munster quarter-final defeat of Limerick, however, Cork subsequently faced a narrow 1–15 to 1–13 defeat by Kerry in the provincial decider.{{cite web|url=http://www.irishexaminer.com/archives/2007/0521/sport/canty-returns-to-rouse-rebels-33231.html|title=Canty returns to rouse Rebels|publisher=Irish Examiner|date=21 May 2007|access-date=20 August 2013}}{{cite web|url=http://www.irishexaminer.com/archives/2007/0702/ireland/kingdom-take-the-wind-out-of-cork-sails-36246.html|title=Kingdom take the wind out of Cork sails|publisher=Irish Examiner|date=2 July 2007|access-date=20 August 2013|first=Jim|last=O'Sullivan}} In spite of this defeat, both side later met on 16 September 2007 in a first all-Munster All-Ireland decider. The game, however, turned into an absolute rout and an embarrassment for Cork. A final score line of 3–13 to 1–9 gave Kerry a second consecutive All-Ireland title.{{cite web|url=http://www.irishexaminer.com/archives/2007/0917/ireland/jubilation-for-kerry-as-rebels-left-reeling-42781.html|title=Jubilation for Kerry as Rebels left reeling|publisher=Irish Examiner|date=17 September 2007|access-date=20 August 2013|first=Jim|last=O'Sullivan}}

In 2008 Cussen lined out in a second Munster decider, with old rivals Kerry providing the opposition once again. At half-time the game looked lost for the Rebel's as they trailed by eight points, however, a goal by Cussen revived his side's fortunes. The final score of 1–16 to 1–11 gave Cork a remarkable victory and gave Cussen a Munster medal.{{cite web|url=http://www.irishexaminer.com/archives/2008/0707/ireland/kingdom-exposed-by-rebel-ambush-66697.html|title=Kingdom exposed by Rebel ambush|publisher=Irish Examiner|date=7 July 2008|access-date=20 August 2013}}

Cussen was dropped to the substitutes' bench in 2009 as Cork retained the Munster crown. On 20 September 2007 Cork faced Kerry in the All-Ireland final for the second time in three years. Cussen started the game on the bench, however, he was introduced as a late sub for Alan O'Connor. Cork had a great opening quarter, but wasted a number of scoring chances in the second half, before eventually being defeated by 0–16 to 1–9.{{cite web|url=http://www.irishexaminer.com/archives/2009/0921/ireland/kingdom-back-on-throne-in-landmark-year-101402.html|title=Kingdom back on throne in landmark year|publisher=Irish Examiner|date=21 September 2009|access-date=20 August 2013|first=Jim|last=O'Sullivan}}

In December 2009 Cussen quit the Cork football squad to concentrate on making the county's hurling panel.{{cite web|url=http://www.hoganstand.com/Cork/ArticleForm.aspx?ID=122025|title=Cussen to concentrate on hurling|publisher=Irish Examiner|date=22 December 2009|access-date=20 August 2013}} His decision to switch codes saw him become a regular during Cork's subsequent National Hurling League campaign, and he was chosen on the starting fifteen as Cork faced Galway in the decider. A thrilling game followed, however, the Tribesmen eventually triumphed by 2–22 to 1–17.{{cite web|url=http://archives.tcm.ie/irishexaminer/2010/05/03/story118796.asp|archive-url=https://archive.today/20120709143658/http://archives.tcm.ie/irishexaminer/2010/05/03/story118796.asp|url-status=dead|archive-date=9 July 2012|title=Galway shine brightest|publisher=Irish Examiner|date=3 May 2010|access-date=1 June 2010}} Later that season on 30 May 2010, he made his championship debut when he came on as a substitute in Cork's shock Munster quarter-final defeat of Tipperary. Cussen was a regular sub throughout the provincial campaign and received his first starting fifteen berth as Cork were defeated by 1–16 to 1–13 after extra time in a replay of the Munster decider.{{cite web|url=http://www.irishexaminer.com/archives/2010/0719/ireland/evergreen-browne-stars-on-deise-day-to-remember-125458.html|title=Evergreen Browne stars on Déise day to remember|publisher=Irish Examiner|date=19 July 2010|access-date=31 July 2013|first=Diarmuid|last=O'Flynn}}

After being dropped from the panel under new manager Jimmy Barry-Murphy in 2012, Cussen was recalled to the Cork senior hurling panel for the 2013 season.{{cite web|url=http://www.independent.ie/sport/hurling/old-guard-cast-aside-in-rebels-new-tomorrow-28895047.html|title=Cork manager Jimmy Barry-Murphy has started to put his own stamp on his squad|publisher=Irish Examiner|date=11 November 2012|access-date=20 August 2013|first=Damien|last=Lawlor}} On 14 July 2013 he was introduced as a substitute in the Munster decider, however, Cork faced a 0–24 to 0–15 defeat by Limerick.{{cite web|url=http://www.irishexaminer.com/archives/2013/0715/ireland/day-of-joy-sends-tremor-through-treaty-236924.html|title=Day of joy sends tremor through Treaty|publisher=Irish Examiner|date=15 July 2013|access-date=31 July 2013|first=Diarmuid|last=O'Flynn}}