MUNSTER HURLING SEMI-FINAL: " He's home and there is no doubt from the early experiments that he would give us something different. He is nearly six foot seven inches tall. That's something different. You can teach a fella how to play hurling, but you can't teach him to be six foot seven.

“For now, Aisake is not the player Setanta was . . . He still wouldn’t be as strong as Setanta in 2003 . . . He is an Ó hAilpín, though, and no matter how coltish he is he will learn quickly.”

– ‘Come What May’

– The autobiography of Dónal Óg Cusack.

THAT WAS a year ago. They have had him down at the alley in Rochestown ever since. Racking up the hurling hours. He is stronger now and the touch is improving. He is also 6ft 7in.

Aisake Ó hAilpín only registered 1-1, but he played an integral role in the comprehensive destruction of Tipp last month.

Another story from Dónal Óg.

Last year the youngest Ó hAilpín brother returned from life as an Australian Rules footballer and was inevitably eased back into the hurling set-up (after a quick look at football).

On the morning of his debut against Tipperary, Dr Con Murphy came over to the already bristling table of Seán Óg and Cusack, where Aisake was also sitting. Dr Con suggested Aisake should mimic Setanta’s spread-eagled arm celebration of 2003 should he score a goal. Seán Óg growled at Dr Con. But when on delivery of Cork’s third goal the last day there he was gliding back into position. Setanta returns.

No, it was another man and by the evidence of the the havoc he caused in an already-feted Tipperary full-back line there is plenty more to come.

Aisake is not Seán Óg. And he is not Setanta. When it comes to media dealings he is less inclined to stretch his legs and sprinkle our recorders with magic dust.

Still only 24, as hurler of the month for May he was brought up to Dublin recently by Vodafone for the presentation. It meant a round of print, radio and television interviews. He seemed to squirm under the spotlight, refusing to let his personality be drawn out.

Or maybe he is just shy.

In professional Australian sport they are taught early on to embrace the media and co-operate with enthusiasm.

“Personally, for myself, I like to step behind the scenes and concentrate on training more than anything else,” Aisake explained.

Either way, he is an amateur sportsman and does not need to dance to the media’s tune.

“Cork is a big place and a lot of people have their own views. People didn’t come up to me personally, but there was a feeling that a lot of people were disappointed after the league final with the way we played. You just try to keep it inside and let the hurling do that talking.”

There were a few spears thrown at Seán Óg in the build up to Tipperary as well. This was put to Aisake.

“It’s funny. Seán Óg is probably one of the fittest on our side and I never doubted for one second. Even outside of being my brother, he’s been around for 12 years and other lads that have been around that long, they know what championship is about and I was just happy that things went well for him and for the team again.”

This Sunday a largely unknown Limerick team come to Páirc Uí Chaoimh for the Munster semi-final. Cork are battled-hardened on the field, but, equally so off it, having been through several internal battles with management and the county board in recent times. The Limerick hurlers lost their own war as the clubs sided with the county board and Justin McCarthy. As a result they are sending a team of under-21s. It is naturally being billed as Limerick lambs for the Rebel abattoir.

“I don’t think our focus will change one bit. We’ll be mentally prepared for a tough game. Limerick are a proud hurling county and we did play them in the league and they did put it up to us, so we’re under no illusions at all.

“It’s going to be a tough game. It’s Munster championship and there’s a lot at stake.”

Do you know much about them?

“For me personally, I like to know our team a bit more. It’s good to know your opposition as well, but we’re trying to focus a bit more on Cork. But we played against them in the league and they do have a lot of good hurlers, so it’s going to be on the day.”

Yeah, he is not Seán Óg, nor is he Setanta.

He is an Ó hAilpín though.