Christy O’Connor: The big question for Cork football is how to rebuild

The biggest fear for Cork now —and their supporters — is the long-term psychological trauma the defeat to Kerry could potentially leave

HARD TIMES: Cork’s Brian Harnett feels the strain after the Munster SFC final defeat. Cork’s priority for 2022 has to be get back into Division 1, and to be consistently playing at a higher level. Picture: Ryan Byrne

With 15 minutes remaining in the 2018 Munster final in Páirc Uí Chaoimh, the Cork supporters were pouring out of the ground, disillusioned and disheartened by the fear that such pain and heartbreak from a talented young Kerry side appeared inevitable for the foreseeable future.

Time and context always alter perception but that trepidation of ritual slaughter on Kerry’s altar of domination had at least receded before the sides met again in the following year’s provincial decider.