John Riordan: We were lucky superhero Teddy Mac was on our side 

When you’re young and small and feeling low to the ground, a Teddy McCarthy rising high can find a way of lasting.

HIGH AND MIGHTY: Teddy McCarthy of Cork gathers the ball against Galway in the 1990 All-Ireland hurling final. Picture: Ray McManus/Sportsfile

Three May weekends in a row, the Riordan family had to traipse up to Semple Stadium to watch Cork try and win a first hurling league since the early '80s.

This was 30 years ago last month and the baby of the family, five-year-old Louise, had decided forcefully that she had quite enough of the commute after the first two instalments ended in draws.