Cullen steps down from senior role

Post date: Jan 24, 2012 10:13:4 PM

By David Farrell

Former Offaly captain and Ireland international footballer has stepped down from his role as senior selector after two years with the county champions, Edenderry.

Cullen (40), the last man to captain Offaly to Leinster championship success in 1997 played a huge role in the reds revival last year but due to work commitments has had to step aside for the coming season.

Having enjoyed a remarkable career as a player, Cullen joined up with former Offaly and Edenderry teammates Peter Brady and Kevin Guing in 2010 to help turn the clubs fortunes around.

Finbarr captained Edenderry to their ninth county title back in 2001, their fourth in seven years but just five years later in 2006, the reds suffered a severe setback when they were relegated to intermediate for the first time in over seventy years.

Despite bouncing back at the first time of asking the reds were struggling to maintain their senior status and it wasn't until 2010 when their fortunes took a turn for the better. The management team introduced a host of new hungry young players to the setup and while results might not always have gone their way that year, the talent available was there for all to see.

In his playing career, Cullen collected four senior county medals, an All-Ireland minor hurling medal in 1989, captained Offaly to the Leinster title in '97 and the National league in '98 while also representing Ireland on many occasions in the International rules series against Australia.

It was that kind of résumé which helped Cullen achieve such a high level of respect amongst the players and supporters in Edenderry.