Two real greats

Cody and Shefflin

Every sport has a dominant figure or a dominant team at one point or another. This weekend’s Ryder Cup was made remarkable partly by the absence of Tiger Woods. Manchester United are struggling to recapture the magic spread so freely by the man who inspired Europe’s victorious golfers this weekend — Alex Ferguson. As Munster struggle to reach the standards they set themselves to dominate Europe almost a decade go the All Blacks still seem imperial. And, even if it looked in jeopardy for a while yesterday afternoon, the Cork

Ladies’ Football team’s ranking as by far the best team in the history of that sport remains unchallenged.

This weekend was the moment though that two Irish sportsmen passed a milestone very few can dream about much less emulate. Brian Cody and Henry Shefflin left Croke Park on Saturday evening having won their tenth 10 All Ireland medals.

For once the hyperbole of the sports pages is justified. By the standards of any code anywhere this was an expression of greatness we were all privileged to see.