Background
He is the son of Martin Coleman, Snr, an All-Ireland-winning goalkeeper with Cork.
He is the son of Martin Coleman, Snr, an All-Ireland-winning goalkeeper with Cork.
He plays hurling with his local club Ballinhassig and made his debut with the Cork senior inter-county team in 2008. Club
Coleman plays his club hurling with his local club in Ballinhassig and has enjoyed much success. O"Neill"son Ballinhassig later represented Cork in the provincial series of games.
A 6-7 to 2-8 defeat of Tipp"s Ballinahinch gave Coleman a coveted Munster club winners" medal at junior level
The club later qualified for the All-Ireland final. Ballinhassig later joined the ranks of the county premier intermediate championship.
The club defeated Aghada in the final of that grade in 2005, giving Coleman another county winners" medal. Once again the club later represented Cork in the provincial series.
Ballinhassig reached the final of that competition also.
A 1-12 to 0-13 defeat of Ballyduff Upper gave Coleman a Munster, however, there would be no All-Ireland title. Coleman and Ballinhassig currently play hurling in the county senior championship. Inter-county
He later lined out in the All-Ireland final with Kilkenny providing the opposition.
In a classic game of hurling both sides were still level at the full-time whistle.
There was little to separate the sides in a period of extra-time, however, Cork narrowly emerged victorious by 1-21 to 0-23. In 2008 Coleman made an unexpected debut for the senior team
In an All-Ireland qualifier against Galway, regular goalkeeper Donal Óg Cusack was red-carded just before half-time. Coleman was quickly deployed into the goalkeeping position and had to immediately save a penalty.
Joe Canning converted that penalty and Cork faced an uphill battle.
Cusack returned as the goalkeeper for all subsequent championship games, however, Coleman was lauded for a fine performance in difficult circumstances.
Coleman first came to prominence on the inter-county scene as a member of the Cork intermediate hurling team in 2003. Around this time Coleman also became a member of the Cork senior hurling panel.