St Brigid’s v Castlehaven
(Sunday, 1:45pm, FBD Semple Stadium, Thurles)
For the Rebel County, it’s been far too long without an uprising. Their last intercounty All-Ireland is now fourteen years ago. For this writer, it is just about within the constraints of childhood memory.
There is an overpowering image of Benny Coulter in what we’ll call an interesting alternative strip of yellow. Then there was Graham Canty in white, with hair soon to match, but not before Sam was paraded down the Lee.
And it wouldn’t be All-Ireland final day without a Kerryman. The legendary Mícheál Ó Muircheartaigh hung up his mic to a sea of red, making the result all the sweeter in the so-called people’s capital.
The years that followed were as dark as Cork football ever had. A fall to Division 3 was pretty unacceptable.
In 2020, you could already see the ‘Reeling in the Years’ episode before your eyes. Mark Keane defying Kerry at the death, ‘November Rain’ the backing track.
Surely the Munster title to come? Well, no, actually. The challenge laid down by the green and gold was only the Tipp’ of the iceberg for a Cork side frozen in time.
This was their Ice Age.
Barren, lifeless, to the point the Rebels raised the white flag before the umpire ever got the chance.
But 2023 eventually saw a renaissance. A brilliant intercounty run, including a superb victory over Roscommon, was eventually ended by Derry.
The club scene too has seen change. Milltown-Castlemaine, conquerors of the Cliffords, were soon to be ambushed themselves by little old Gaeltacht residents Cill na Martra in the Intermediate section.
In the Senior, Dingle had been one of the favourites for the All-Ireland all year. That mattered not to Castlehaven, nor Damien Cahalane. There’s something so very Cork about their defiance.
Cahalane’s match winning save was like a scene from ‘You’ve Been Framed’ and ‘Gladiator’ all at once. His celebration embodied a young Martin O’Neill, rather than the flash Harrys of today.
Then comes the cramp, and a pile on, and likely the cries of pain that are masked in the hurricane breeze and Castlehaven cheers. You’d hedge your bets that pain was worth it.
Cork people hate nothing more than Kerry. They love beating Kerry like nothing else. Especially when it has become such a rarity.
But this weekend, Thurles won’t carry that motivation. They’ll have to settle for an All-Ireland semi-final against Roscommon and St Brigid’s, a team steeped in history in this competition, much like the Corofin side they disposed of rather easily in the end.
With your ear to the ground, apparently that was to be expected, in spite of the odds. A friend in Galway witnessed the Judas done on more than one occasion in a part-time post in one of the city’s bookmakers.
A win is a win…
Strokestown surprised many in securing the Roscommon crown last year, but in rising star Ben O’Carroll, St Brigid’s have rediscovered the golden touch that led them to All-Ireland glory in 2013.
The task of picking up O’Carroll will likely fall to either the other Cahalane brother, Conor, or breakthrough intercounty star Rory Maguire, who himself has a keen eye for a score.
And the positioning of Maguire will likely dictate exactly what kind of game this will become, and the intent of the Munster champions. Will they avail of Maguire’s pace to curtail the Roscommon ace, or will they push on and play this game on their own terms?
The Westmeath Independent are reporting that former Monaghan and Kerry coach Donie Buckley has held sessions with James McCarthy’s side, while his opposite number Jerome Stack will be able to call on another county star in the shape of namesake Brian in his defence.
The sides appear well matched on all sides. You wouldn’t rule out Damien Cahalane being between the sticks once more.
