Páirc Uí Chaoimh All-Ireland final fanzone party ends in misery for Cork hurling fans

There is nowhere like Croke Park for an All-Ireland final — but 15,000 Rebel hurling fans in Páirc Uí Chaoimh easily rivalled the Dublin stadium for sheer passion on Sunday afternoon, with a roar to rival the crowd in the capital whenever Cork scored, not least that last-minute equalising point that led to extra time.

Páirc Uí Chaoimh was transformed into the Rebels’ Fanzone for the 2024 All Ireland Senior Hurling Championship final between Cork and Clare allowing thousands of GAA fans who missed out on tickets to Croke Park to soak up the match day atmosphere beside the Lee with the match live-streamed on two large screens in the stadium. 

Tickets for the free event were unsurprisingly snapped up within 45 minutes of being released.

Thousands of Cork fans who couldn't travel to Dublin — or who failed to get All-Ireland tickets — settled into the fanzone at Páirc Uí Chaoimh in the hope of a Rebel victory but it wasn't to be....  Picture: Dan Linehan

The route to the venue was a sea of red and white as eager fans made their way to Páirc Uí Chaoimh. 

Most attendees walked to the stadium from the city as parking at the venue and public transport serving the route were non-existent, a frequent complaint when any big event is hosted there, be it a match or major gigs such as Bruce Springsteen's last May.

Inside Páirc Uí Chaoimh you could not imagine a more Cork party if you tried. Before the match the crowd was kept entertained by Colm O’Sullivan of RedFM who played local hits including ‘After All’ by the Frank and Walters, ‘Where’s Me Jumper’ by The Sultans of Ping, and this summer’s viral sensation, ‘The Spark’, by Cork's Kabin Crew and Clare's Lisdoonvarna Crew. 

Cork fans at the All-Ireland final fanzone at Páirc Uí Chaoimh. Picture: Dan Linehan

As it was a family-friendly event, the pitch was filled with excited children and teens dancing, running and playing, even in the occasional downpour. As one laughing steward said: “We won’t care if it rains as long as we’re celebrating a win later!” 

It will be a long wait for that celebration, sadly. It has already been 19 long years since the Liam McCarthy Cup last came to Leeside, then under the skill and success of Cork GAA legends like Seán Óg Ó’hAilpin, Diarmuid O’Sullivan, and Dónal Óg Cusack, and hurling fans were eager to witness en masse as Cork made a bid to claim the cup once more this year. 

Across the city in the fortnight leading up to the final, hats, flags, vuvuzelas, and other red and white accessories were being sold on the streets and hurling mania swept through the county, all culminating on Sunday with a fever pitch hysteria in Cork’s home of the GAA. 

Supporters flocked to the Marina from Mitchelstown, Midleton, Macroom, Mayfield, and beyond to cheer for their team.

And with such a strong appetite for a supporter event for matches like this, lots of GAA fans hope to see many more when Cork teams are playing in Dublin.

Fans cheer on Cork in the All-Ireland hurling final fanzone at Páirc Uí Chaoimh, Cork. Picture Dan Linehan

Páirc Uí Chaoimh was not the only place in the Rebel County hosting a big screen for the match: The nearby Black Market was showing the match, Cobh screened the final on the promenade, and the West Cork Vintage Ploughing and Threshing had a special outdoor screen too. 

But Páirc Uí Chaoimh offered the closest thing to the full matchday experience, even with official programmes, the twins of those being sold in Croker, on sale in Cork for €8.

Emotions in Cork were on par with supporters in Dublin too. 

There was tension when the score was tied at half time and full time, despair when Aidan McCarthy, Mark Rodgers, and Tommy Kelly each sent the sliotar soaring into the goal for the Banner, and unrestrained joy when Robert Downey flawlessly shot the ball right into the back of the net for Cork early in the game — and again when Patrick Horgan scored a point that bought Cork another shot at the win with extra time. 

However, it was agony for Cork fans as Clare pulled ahead in the final minutes of the dramatic final to claim the Liam MacCarthy trophy, with many dropping to their knees on Páirc Uí Chaoimh’s pitch in despair when a final free went wide for Cork.

On par with the dreary summer weather we have been having this year, an almost-constant drizzle and chilly breeze kept Cork supporters company while the match played and as the disappointed supporters poured out of the stadium in Cork it was clear that the rain wasn’t the only element that dampened the Rebels’ spirits in Páirc Uí Chaoimh.