James Masters, Cork. GAA Football All-Ireland Senior Championship Quarter-Final, Cork v Kildare, Croke Park, Dublin.

One to Watch-James Masters (Cork Footballer)

Position: Full-Forward

Age: 27

Club: Nemo Rangers

Occupation: Garda Síochána

Club Honours- 4 Cork Titles

3 Munster Titles

County Honours- 1 Minor Munster

1 Minor All-Ireland

1 Munster Under-21

2 Senior Munster

1 Senior National League Divison 2

James Masters is a talented forward who showed his natural ability at a young age when he played both hurling and football at Coláiste Chríost Rí. Indeed he was the star player in 2001 scoring nine points to see his side beat St Colman’s College to win the County College’s Title.

Although Masters joined the Senior Nemo side in 2000 he had to wait to make an impact due to the fact that Joe Kavanagh and Colin Corkery both played in his favoured position. Masters featured as a substitute in 2002 when Nemo beat Monaleen of Limerick 4-15 to 0-6 in the Munster Club Championship. He missed out on a place in the All-Ireland winning side of 2003. By 2005 Masters had established himself in Nemo’s Full-Forward line winning his first County Senior Championship medal and he also picked up his second Munster Club medal. The club made it four County Championship in a row in 2008, with Masters collecting his third Munster medal in 2007.

Masters first made an impact in the County’s Minor team in 2000 when he captained them to both a Munster and All-Ireland title. Cork overcame arch-rivals Kerry in the Munster final 1-13 to 0-14. Masters had the honour of lifting the Tommy Markin Cup when his side defeating Mayo 2-12 to 0-13.

Masters also collected a Munster title with Cork Under-21s in 2001when they defeated Limerick 1-12 to 0-8.

He made his Senior debut in 2005 and lined out in his first Munster Final losing to Kerry 1-11 to 0-11. In 2006 Cork took on Kerry once again in the Munster Final and drew 0-10 to 0-10, the replay saw a freasher Cork side defeat Kerry 1-12 to 0-9 and Masters was the hero scoring 1-7. Cork lost their title to Kerry in 2007 losing by two points but inflicted revenge the following year coming back from eight points down to win by five. Kerry seemed to be cruising to victory at half-time when they held an eight point lead but Cork held them to only three scores in the second-half to seal victory.

Masters has also represented his province in 2005 reaching the semi-final stage only to be defeated by Ulster.