Victorious ladies deserved a better turnout

Dismal weather, dismal turnout, dodgy mike. None of the elements were there to make last night memorable for the ladies who deserved so much more for their stunning achievement in bringing home their third All- Ireland title in a row, their eighth win in nine years.

Despite the Cork Ladies Senior Football team actually having a trophy to show for their efforts, the welcoming crowd was about one-10th the size of the gathering the previous evening for the losing lads, the men’s senior team.

At the homecoming was Conor Counihan, who stepped down as manager of the Cork Men’s Senior Football team earlier this year. He felt people didn’t realise the magnitude of the women’s achievement.

“What they have done is not being done in any sport. Who else has won eight out of nine finals? When you’re involved in management you have some small understanding of what that kind of achievement means. I think history will treat them fairly,” he said.

Members of the this year’s U14 Cork Football All Ireland-winning team — Mary Leneghan, Saoirse Noonan, and Eadaoin Downey from the suburbs of the city — were there to cheer on their heroines but all three agreed the turnout was disheartening.

“It would be nice if people had put in a bit more of an effort,” Saoirse said. “There was a much bigger crowd for the men and they lost.”

Emma O’Brien from Ovens, was there with son Jack Hartnett. She felt the women deserved more credit for their unbelievable commitment.

As Ann O’Sullivan from Boreenmanna Rd, Cork city, pointed out: “Only for the girls, we’d have won nothing this year.

“It’s a desperate turnout, but I suppose it’s a bad night too. There is great credit due to them, all the hours they’ve put in.”

If the victorious ladies were disappointed with the size of the reception, it wasn’t showing.

Smartly clad in red blazers, fitted white tops and black trousers, they danced on stage to the sounds of ‘Do the Jimmy Barry Murphy’, in the absence of any anthem for their outstanding manager, Eamon Ryan.

Captain Anne Marie Walsh thanked all who turned out on a terrible night and thanked everyone for waiting — their arrival was over an hour behind schedule.

Eamon Ryan said a few quiet words, most lost to the dodgy mike.