Treasuring fleeting moment with the perfect silver lining

The first time I got to touch the Sam Maguire was in October 1990 when he and Liam MacCarthy came to visit Blackrock Hurling Club.

That was the year I realised there was more than enough humour in arrogance to sustain Corkonians through the lean days of the subsequent decade, long before the onset of the goading simplicity that sold so many People’s Republic of Cork t-shirts.

The hurling title was safely locked away after that mad game against Galway, leaving the footballers to maul their way through a far grittier decider against Meath.