No homecoming event for Cork hurlers

This was supposed to be a piece about the Cork hurlers’ homecoming at SuperValu Páirc Uí Chaoimh on Monday evening.

Last year, the €4 cost of entry was a bone of contention – what a joy it would be to be digging into the weeds of such an issue after an All-Ireland hurling final victory. Instead, at the request of those in the camp, the return home was understandably changed to a low-key one.

“At the request of the team and management, there is no event planned for the return of the Cork hurlers this evening. They would again like to thank all the entire county for their unwavering support throughout the year.”

One can’t imagine that the banquet at the Clayton Hotel on Burlington Road was much fun, either – parties rarely are when the guest of honour fails to show.

For the Cork players and backroom, there will obviously be a few days of wound-licking but the clock doesn’t stop: this weekend sees the start of the county football championships, with the hurling equivalents a week later.

In 1987, Cork reached the All-Ireland football final, seeking to end a 14-year wait for the Sam Maguire Cup, but they lost to Meath. A massive crowd showed up for the homecoming and when the team came to the offices of Evening Echo and Cork Examiner , team captain Conor Counihan came out on to the balcony and addressed the Rebel faithful, promising that they would be back 12 months later, with the trophy.

But they weren’t – 1988 would again bring defeat, even more disappointingly, as Meath earned a contentious draw before winning the replay. It would take until 1989 and the defeat of Mayo for Cork to get to the top of the tree.

The Cork players huddle before the game. Picture: Stephen McCarthy/Sportsfile

That was the second time in the 1980s that a Cork side had been beaten in consecutive All-Ireland finals – in 1982 and 1983, the Rebels breezed through Munster but on each occasion they fell to Kilkenny in the decider.

The pressure was on in 1984, but given that the All-Ireland final was set for Thurles, Tipperary felt that it was written in the stars for them to win the centenary title. On Munster final day, it looked like things were aligning as they led by four points – then a Tony O’Sullivan point effort was dropping just low enough for Tipp goalkeeper John Sheedy to try to stop it going over.

He managed that but the ball fell to a waiting Seánie O’Leary, whose goal sparked the Cork revival before they went on to beat Offaly in the final. Tipp fans with long memories no doubt thought of that moment when John McGrath capitalised on Patrick Collins doing similar on Sunday.

The difference between 1984 and now is that the team back had some survivors from the three-in-a-row side, whereas the current Cork side have some muscle memory of minor and U20 success but no senior medals in the playing squad.

The task is to show that one atrocious half of hurling has not outweighed a good year. It is a huge one but not an impossible one.

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