Setanta Ó hAilpín

Infobox afl player
firstname = Setanta
lastname = Ó hAilpín


birthdate = Birth date and age|1983|3|18|df=y
birthplace = Sydney, Australia
originalteam = Na Piarsaigh GAA (Cork GAA)
heightweight = 199cm / 96kg
dead = alive
deathdate =
deathplace =
debutdate = Round 7, 7 May 2005
debutteam = Carlton
debutopponent = Richmond
debutstadium = Melbourne Cricket Ground
playingteams = Carlton (2005-)46 games, 18 goals
coach = notcoach
coachingteams =
statsend = 2008
careerhighlights =
*International Rules Series 2004 (representing Ireland)

Setanta "Carlos" Ó hAilpín, (born in Sydney, Australia on 18 March 1983) is a sportsman of dual Irish-Australian citizenship.Fact|date=February 2008 He was a hurling champion in Ireland before re-emigrating to Australia where he became a professional Australian Rules footballer. He is of mixed Irish and Rotuman background. His brothers Seán Óg and Aisake are also noted sportsmen.

Childhood and Gaelic games

Ó hAilpín was born in Australia to an Irish father and a mother from the Fijian dependency of Rotuma. The family moved to Cork city in Ireland in 1988, and Setanta played both hurling and Gaelic football for Na Piarsaigh, eventually concentrating on hurling. In 2000 he was selected for the Cork minor team. He studied at Waterford Institute of Technology and starred on its Fitzgibbon Cup-winning side in March 2003. He joined his elder brother Seán Óg on the Cork team for the All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship 2003, which lost the final to Kilkenny in September. His contribution to the campaign earned him an All-Star award and the Young Hurler of the Year award.

In December 2003 Ó hAilpín announced his move to Australia to play Australian rules football for Carlton Football Club in Melbourne. This caused surprise as AFL recruiters in Ireland target Gaelic footballers and Ó hAilpín had concentrated on hurling. [cite news |url=http://www.independent.ie/sport/gaelic-football/rebel-ace-setanta-not-for-rules-code-198058.html |title=Rebel ace Setanta not for Rules code |accessdate=2008-02-23 |date=28 November 2003 |work=Irish Independent |first=Colm |last=Keys ] Younger brother Aisake followed Setanta to Carlton, while elder brother Seán Óg has continued with the Cork hurlers.

Setanta returned to Ireland in 2004 to play for the Irish team in the 2004 International Rules Series against Australia. During his trip, he also turned out alongside his brothers for Na Piarsaigh as they won the Cork Senior Hurling Championship.

AFL career

Originally placed on the rookie list, strong performances in the VFL for the Northern Bullants elevated Setanta to the primary list in place of Anthony Franchina during 2004; however, injury stunted his progress during that season. He made his AFL debut during 2005, but had limited game time, scoring a goal with his only kick — a set shot at the very end of the game.

Ó hAilpín was placed on Carlton's senior list in 2006. After playing largely in the forward line for the first years of his development, he was shifted to half-back in early 2006. He gained regular senior selection late in the season, playing the final ten games of the season.

Ó hAilpín began the 2007 season playing at full-back, playing the first six games there. An injury to Cameron Cloke then saw Ó hAilpín replacing him as a back-up ruckman, which also proved to be a successful position, with Ó hAilpín's mobility an advantage against bigger ruckmen when the ball went to ground. He has also been rotated forward from the ruck position, making him completely versatile.

Setanta has become a crowd favourite amongst Carlton fans due to his great enthusiasm for the game and for his club, along with his exuberant fist pumping goal celebrations. His nickname "Carlos" is derived from the similarity between "Setanta" and "Santana", the surname of Mexican/American guitarist Carlos Santana. "Setanta" was the birth-name of Cúchulainn, hero of the Ulster Cycle of Irish mythology.

References

External links

*Carlplayer|ref=293723
*AflRleague|ref=S/Setanta_OhAilpin.html
* [http://www.blueseum.org/tiki-index.php?page=Setanta+%C3%93+hAilp%C3%ADn Setanta Ó hAilpín profile in Blueseum]