Cork’s Ciaran Sheehan to join AFL club Carlton next year

Cork football has been hit by the blow that one of their brightest prospects, Ciaran Sheehan, has agreed to join Australian Rules Football (AFL) outfit Carlton Blues next year.

The Melbourne-based outfit have confirmed that Sheehan, who won an All-Ireland title with Cork in September, will join the club in October next year with a view to starting his career in the 2012 AFL season.

Sheehan had a four week trial with Carlton in 2009, but returned home and played a key role in the Rebels’ march to their first All-Ireland football triumph since 1990. The move was confirmed by Carlton general manager David Icke, who suggested that winning an All-Ireland medal so early in his career was a factor in Sheehan’s decision to go Down Under.

"I think that's part of it. It's a box ticked I suppose...to have won an All-Ireland medal as a 19-year-old is a great achievement," said Icke, who added that the player was not in a position to join Carlton next season due to his studies at Cork IT.

"He's in the second year of a sports marketing course, so he'd like to finish next year's term. He wants to be able to have a career outside football which is important," Icke said.

Sheehan will join fellow Corkonian Setanta Ó hAilpín and Laois native Zach Tuohy at the club.