Courcey Rovers in the premier intermediate decider that year. Courceys went into the game favourites following a number of impressive victories in earlier rounds, however, a goal by Casey just before the interval secured a 1-11 to 1-8 victory. Inter-county Casey first played for Cork as a member of the minor hurling team on 15 May 1985 in a 1-12 to 1-8 Munster semi-final defeat of Limerick. He later won a Munster medal following a 1-13 to 1-8 defeat of Tipperary in the decider. Wexford provided the opposition in the subsequent All-Ireland decider on 1 September 1985. Casey scored a point from wing-back to secure an All-Ireland Minor Hurling Championship medal in Cork's 3-10 to 0-12 victory. Three years later Casey was at right wing-back on the Cork under-21 team. He won a Munster medal that year following a 4-12 to 1-7 defeat of Limerick. Cork subsequently faced Kilkenny in the All-Ireland decider on 11 September 1988. Played in St. Brendan's Park, Birr to commemorate the centenary of the very first senior All-Ireland final being played there, Cork triumphed by 4-12 to 1-5, with Casey winning an All-Ireland Under-21 Hurling Championship medal. Casey was a member of the extended panel as Cork faced Galway in the All-Ireland decider on 7 September 1986. The men from the west were the red-hot favourites against a Cork team in decline, however, on the day a different story unfolded. Four Cork goals, one from John Fenton, two from Tomás Mulcahy and one from Kevin Hennessy, stymied the Galway attack and helped the Rebels to a 4–13 to 2–15 victory. In November 1986 Casey made his senior debut in a National Hurling League game against Galway. He was later included on Cork's championship panel but didn't make his debut until 18 June 1989 in a 5-16 to 4-17 Munster semi-final replay defeat by Waterford. In 1990 Cork bounced back after a period in decline. Casey won a Munster medal that year following a 4-16 to 2-14 defeat of Tipperary. The subsequent All-Ireland final on 2 September 1990 pitted Cork against Galway for the second time in four years. Galway were once again the red-hot favourites and justified this tag by going seven points ahead in the opening thirty-five minutes thanks to a masterful display by Joe Cooney. Cork fought back with an equally expert display by captain Tomás Mulcahy. The game was effectively decided on