‘This is my proudest moment’

THIS was special. Very special. Decades of achievement inside, and outside the white line were all dwarfed by this one afternoon in September.

John Allen celebrated his first year in charge of Cork with another All-Ireland SHC title, the county’s 30th, and guarantees himself the right to remain at the helm - but only if he wishes.

At Croke Park yesterday he didn’t talk about the future. Instead he wanted to wallow in the “simply magnificent” present.