Brian Corcoran (born 23 March 1973) is an Irish former hurler and Gaelic footballer who played as a centre-back and as a full-forward for the Cork senior teams.
He arrived on the inter-county scene at the age of fifteen when he first linked up with the Cork minor teams as a dual player, before later joining the under-21 sides.
His grandfather, Bill Corcoran, was an All-Ireland champion runner while his brother, John, was a dual player at minor and under-21 levels with Cork.
[4] Throughout his career Corcoran made a combined total of 56 championship appearances for the Cork hurling and football teams.
Corcoran graduated from Cork Regional Technical College with a BSc in computing application and currently works as a VP of IT at Regeneron Pharmaceuticals.
Na Piarsaigh provided the opposition, however, Corcoran produced a masterclass and scored ten points in Erin's Own 1-12 to 0-12 victory.
Two years later Erin's Own qualified for the junior football championship decider, having already captured the East Cork title.
Two-time defeated finalists Cloyne provided the opposition, however, two vital scores from Kieran Murphy and Corcoran secured a 2-19 to 3-14 victory.
The subsequent All-Ireland final saw Mayo providing the opposition, however, Cork put in a tremendous performance to claim a 1-9 to 1-7 victory.
In 1994 Corcoran won a Munster medal with the Cork under-21 footballers following a comfortable 2-11 to 0-4 defeat of a Larry Tompkins-coached Waterford.
Mayo rallied after scoring a goal from a penalty in the second half and reduced their deficit to two points, however, Cork pulled away to win by 1-12 to 1-5.
Corcoran was just out of the minor grade in 1991 and immediately came to the attention of the Cork senior hurling selectors who invited him to play a challenge game against Dublin.
He later outplayed the reigning Hurler of the Year Pat Fox in the semi-final before collecting his first Munster medal following a 1-22 to 3-11 defeat of Limerick in the provincial decider.
The Rebels shot five points without reply before D. J. Carey rattled home a penalty before half-time to leave Kilkenny just two adrift at half time.
[20] In spite of this defeat Corcoran later collected his first All-Star, while at nineteen he became the youngest player ever to win the Texaco Hurler of the Year award.
[21] On 18 July 1993 Corcoran made his senior football championship debut in a 1-16 to 1-8 provincial final defeat of Tipperary.
Cork retained their title for a third successive year in 1995, with Corcoran winning a third Munster medal following a 0-15 to 1-9 defeat of old rivals Kerry.
[28] On 16 May 2004 Corcoran made his return to championship hurling, scoring 1-1 after coming on as a substitute in a 4-19 to 1-7 Munster quarter-final defeat of Kerry.
After facing a narrow 3-16 to 1-21 defeat by Waterford in one of the greatest Munster finals of all-time in 2004, Cork worked their way through the qualifiers and lined out against Kilkenny in the All-Ireland decider on 12 September 2004.
[29] The game was expected to be a classic, however, a rain-soaked day made conditions difficult as Kilkenny aimed to secure a third successive championship.
Goalkeeper Donal Óg Cusack stopped two certain goals in the first half to help Cork to a 2-14 to 1-4 victory and a fifth Munster medal for Corcoran.
[33] On 3 September 2006 Cork had the opportunity to become the first side in nearly thirty years to secure three successive All-Ireland champions as they faced Kilkenny in the decider.