BY SEÁN HOLLAND
‘IT’s often in life that the beginning and the end are the same place’ – that was the final line in my preview in last week’s Star of the All-Ireland hurling semi-final, because it was at this same stage six years ago that Limerick started their journey.
That 2018 All-Ireland semi-final was a game that was Cork’s for the taking but it was snatched from their hands – and that defeat has haunted every Cork supporter since. Well, now we have new memories.
Images of Nicky Quaid flicking the ball from Seamus Harnedy have been replaced by Brian Hayes crashing the ball into that very same goal. It did feel like a full-circle moment all week in the lead-up to last Sunday’s heavyweight showdown in Croke Park. Granted, these two met in the final in 2021, but with a limited capacity, in those bleak Covid times, it just didn’t feel the same.
This latest clash had all the ingredients that 2018 had: the colour, the atmosphere, and the anticipation. The decision to head to the capital on Saturday seemed like an inspired one when we woke to pictures and videos of tailbacks on the motorway on Sunday morning. Still, slowly but surely more and more green and red jerseys started emerging as the capital braced for the inevitable invasion.
The atmosphere was building all through the morning and into the afternoon. The Living Room, a popular bar in Dublin, was the venue of choice to help settle a few pre-match nerves. This was where I met the man I sit across from every day at Southern Star HQ – our digital executive Tony, who hails from Limerick. As if there wasn’t another reason to shout for a Cork victory, but having to hear about this great Limerick team for at least another two weeks would have been a valid reason to ask if I could work remotely. Well, until after July 20th. Tony, confident his Green Machine would get the job done, was outnumbered though. Cork were here in force.
With those endless chants of ‘Rebels’ filling the air, with every passing minute the excitement grew. Soon it was time to make our way to GAA HQ. Even the pre-match drenching on route to Jones Road wasn’t going to spoil the anticipation. Street vendors, who thought ahead, had ponchos selling like hotcakes.
Swapping the press box for Hill 16 was a wise decision: what an atmosphere it was. The Rebel roar for Robert Downey’s opening score was loud but with every ball that went over the Limerick crossbar that roar grew louder and louder. One of the moments of the game had to be Brian Hayes’ goal. It had those donned in the blood and bandage rocking. Cork up five and we were in dreamland but everyone knew Limerick were due to have a purple patch and it came almost instantly. They turned that deficit around and led by two at the break.
The feeling of confidence amongst those in red in the stadium ten minutes earlier had been vanquished.
‘Was that it?’
‘Is our chance gone?’
We all knew this Limerick side ramp it up a notch after the break. Well, to their credit, it was most definitely Cork who brought the fire, hunger, and aggression in that second half. The Rebels blitzed Limerick in the third quarter. It felt like every shot on goal was bound to sail through the posts in front of us.
Every successful strike was met with a roar of approval, and a collective roar that seemed to shake the very foundations of Croke Park. In the flash of an eye, we headed into the final quarter well on top. Well, if it ever felt like a full-circle moment before the game, the deja vu of being up six points with six minutes to go, and Limerick slowly coming back, had every Cork fan thinking ‘Oh no, not again’. Every point the men in green scored sent murmurs through the crowd. Six up, five up, four, three, down to two.
But time was in Cork's favour and the possibility of ending Limerick's five-in-a-row dream became increasingly real. The tension in the hill reached a crescendo, every spectator was on edge, hearts pounding in unison. Two minutes left and there wasn’t one person in the stadium not fully engaged, pucking every ball in their head. Had Patrick Horgan slid home the ball to the net with time almost up, it possibly could have registered on the Richter scale. Saved, ball down the other end.
Still, Cork held on, and when the referee blew that final whistle, the roar from the Cork faithful was deafening. We had done it. Cork won 1-28 to 0-29, and had toppled the giants of Limerick. The scenes that followed were unforgettable.
Walking away from Croke Park, the sense of pride was immense. We watched our team rise to the occasion, challenge the odds, and emerge victorious. This team has had a rough journey since 2018, watching their nearest neighbours claim almost every title on offer. Sunday was a chance to put that right and did they ever. And I had rarely looked forward to work as much as I did earlier this week, with Tony a little bit quieter than normal. Move over Limerick, there’s a new team in town. Oh to be a Rebel.
