Setanta Ó hAilpín facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Setanta Ó hAilpín |
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| Personal information | |||
| Full name | Setanta Ó hAilpín | ||
| Nickname(s) | Carlos | ||
| Date of birth | 18 March 1983 | ||
| Place of birth | Sydney | ||
| Original team | Na Piarsaigh (club)/Cork (hurling, county team) | ||
| Draft | 2011 National Draft: No. 79 (Greater Western Sydney) | ||
| Position(s) | Forward, ruckman | ||
Setanta Ó hAilpín, born on March 18, 1983, is a talented sportsman with both Fijian and Irish roots. He first played hurling at a high level for the Cork team in Ireland. Later, he became a professional Australian rules football player. Setanta comes from a family of well-known athletes. His brothers, Seán Óg, Teu, and Aisake, are also famous in the world of sports.
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Early Life and Gaelic Games Journey
Setanta Ó hAilpín was born in Australia. His father was Irish, and his mother was from Rotuma, an island that is part of Fiji. In 1988, his family moved to Cork, Ireland.
There, Setanta started playing both hurling and Gaelic football for a club called Na Piarsaigh. He eventually focused mostly on hurling. In 2000, he was chosen to play for the Cork minor team, which is for younger players.
He also studied at Waterford Institute of Technology. In March 2003, he helped his college team win the Fitzgibbon Cup, a major hurling competition.
Setanta joined his older brother, Seán Óg, on the main Cork county team for the 2003 All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship. They reached the final but lost to Kilkenny. Setanta's great performance that year earned him an All-Star award and the Young Hurler of the Year award.
In December 2003, Setanta made a big decision. He announced he would move to Australia to play Australian rules football for the Carlton Football Club in Melbourne. This was a surprise because most Irish players recruited for AFL were Gaelic footballers, and Setanta was known for hurling. His younger brother, Aisake, later joined him at Carlton. His older brother, Seán Óg, stayed with the Cork hurling team.
Setanta returned to Ireland in 2004 to play for the Irish team. They played against Australia in the 2004 International Rules Series. During this visit, he also played alongside his brothers for Na Piarsaigh. They won the Cork Senior Hurling Championship that year.
AFL Career Highlights
Starting with Carlton
Setanta began his AFL journey on Carlton's rookie list. He played very well for Carlton's team in the VFL, the Northern Bullants. Because of his strong performances, he was moved to the main team in 2004. However, an injury slowed him down that season.
He made his first AFL game appearance in 2005. He had limited time on the field but scored a goal with his only kick right at the end of the game.
In 2006, Setanta was added to Carlton's senior list. In his first few years, he mostly played in the forward line. But in early 2006, he was moved to half-back. He started playing regularly in the senior team late in the season, appearing in the last ten games.
Setanta started the 2007 season playing at full-back for the first six games. When a teammate got injured, Setanta stepped in as a back-up ruckman. He also moved between the ruck and forward positions, showing how versatile he was.
Setanta became a favorite among Carlton fans. His nickname, "Carlos," came from how "Setanta" sounds like "Santana," the last name of the famous guitarist Carlos Santana. Setanta's birth name was also the name of Cúchulainn, a hero from old Irish mythology.
In February 2009, Setanta was suspended by the Carlton Football Club. This was due to a serious disagreement with a teammate during a practice match. The incident was reviewed by the AFL, and he was suspended for four weeks. He considered returning to Ireland after this.
Setanta returned to play in Round 5 for Carlton's game against the Western Bulldogs. In Round 11, he played his 50th AFL game against Brisbane. He was the third Irish player to reach this milestone. He kicked a goal and helped set up another as Carlton won. Setanta played one of his best games in Round 12 against the unbeaten Saints. He kicked a crucial goal in the final quarter and set up another. His performances kept getting better. For the first time, he kicked four goals in a game against Fremantle. Carlton came from behind to win that important match.
Before the game that would have been his first AFL final, Setanta was not chosen to play by the Carlton team.
After a key player left in 2009, Setanta became a regular full forward or half forward for Carlton. He started averaging more than two goals per game. On May 2, 2010, he kicked a career-high five goals, becoming the first Irish player to do so.
At the end of 2010, there were talks that Setanta might move to the Western Bulldogs. He was reportedly unhappy after being dropped from Carlton's team during the season. In 2011, he played eight matches, including two finals. However, he was later removed from the team list. Carlton said they wanted to keep him but had to remove a player due to league rules.
Playing for Greater Western Sydney
After leaving Carlton, Setanta was chosen to play for the new Greater Western Sydney Giants team. This happened in the 2011 AFL National Draft. He played his first game for the Giants in 2012 against his old team, Carlton. He kicked two goals but then injured his knee during the game.
He made a strong comeback from his injury in 2013, kicking five goals in a game against Melbourne. Setanta was removed from the Giants' team list at the end of the 2013 season after playing seven games for them. In December 2013, he took on a new role. He became the "Multicultural Program Coordinator" for Australian rules football in Western Sydney.
Time with Albury
Since 2014, Setanta Ó hAilpín has played for Albury in the Ovens & Murray Football League. His brother Aisake also plays for the team. In 2014, Setanta was the league's top goal scorer, kicking 103 goals. He also helped Albury win championships in 2014 and 2015.
See also
- Irish experiment
