Michael Cussen has quit the Cork football squad to concentrate on making the county's hurling panel. The decision comes as no surprise after the 6'7" full forward spent much of last season on the substitutes' bench. Cussen didn't start a game in this year's championship, but made four appearances as a substitute in the Rebels' march to the All-Ireland football final. A talented hurler who has impressed at full forward for Sarsfields in recent years and was a member of the Rebels' under 21 hurling side in 2005, the 25-year-old garda has now decided to throw in his lot with the hurlers. "I'm happy with the decision," he told the Irish Examiner. "Now I am focused on helping the Cork hurlers to win some silverware in 2010." Cork hurling boss Denis Walsh deployed the equally imposing Aisake O hAilpin at full forward in this year's championship, but is still expected to accommodate Cussen in his squad. "We feel he has a lot to offer. We have seen him over the last couple of seasons at club level and we know what he can do," Walsh said. "He's shown up fairly well in a trial game and, given what he has contributed to the Sarsfields set-up in the last two seasons in particular, he will be one of the players we will be seriously looking at when we resume training in January. We'd be hoping we'd be able to give him a shot at this." Football manager Conor Counihan wished Cussen all the best in the coming season. "I'd like to thank him for his efforts over the past couple of years with the senior footballers and wish him the best for the season ahead with the hurlers," he said. Tweet

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