What’s better than All-Ireland success? ...

...Back-to-back titles. And Cork’s footballers have an opportunity to begin a period of dominance this season and create a legacy of their own, says their former attacker

AT THE start of 2010, Pádraig Harrington gave a very interesting bit of advice to the Cork footballers — never focus on winning an All-Ireland. Focusing on the achievement of this one goal can be limiting. Only ever think and talk in terms of winning All-Irelands. Without aspirational goals, you will be left rudderless if and when the realistic ones are achieved — surely this advice is now more relevant than ever.

In 2010, the All-Ireland was finally achieved. At times, that long term goal threatened to move further away rather than closer. Limerick, Dublin, Down all endangered Cork’s dream. Each time, Cork rallied and each time they reined it back in. The victory was all the more deserved for it, but no one will argue that the most prominent feeling last year was relief, and not elation. Vindication was not what they were looking for. Accomplishment would be a more accurate description.

2011 is a new experience for Cork insofar as they are now the champions rather than the chasers. They could no longer leverage the hurt, the key motivation for the previous number of years. It was unchartered territory. The league came and went and served its purpose. The Cork win itself will be given zero air time inside the camp for the rest of the season.

A more significant positive that came from the league was a consistency that has come with playing as champions. The emergence of new leaders has been key here. Starting the league, no one really knew who would replace Canty, Lynch, Murphy, Quirke as the go to guys for the week-in week-out games. Regular starters who would deliver 99% of the time. Regardless of form, these were the guys who would settle the team when the pressure came on in games and teach everyone else how to batten down the hatches, weather the storm and then go again. They were all rendered absent over much of this year’s league campaign. New personnel proved capable of eking out wins and grinding teams into submission. Michael Shields, Pierce O’Neill, Paddy Kelly, Daniel Goulding all filled the void.

The players will have reconvened after their first round club games at the start of May and will now spend the rest of the summer in each other’s pockets. This is where the intensity really ratchets up. A v B games will require everyone going full belt. In the provincial first round games against Clare and Waterford, watch for the more experienced heads timing their come backs. Alan Shearer use to say that no player can afford a bad game after they hit 30, on the basis that it becomes too easy to dismiss the player as over the hill. Conor Counihan will be extremely conscious of the need to continuously evolve and will have no problem weeding out the weak, young or old. Cork, Kerry, Tyrone and maybe Dublin. Can anyone see the championship winners coming from outside this group? For Cork, the Kerry question will inevitably come up again this year. There is no reason to shy away from it. It’s a simple truth that needs to be acknowledged. Cork have not beaten Kerry in Croke Park. Not ideal, but the past is past. Indeed, this stat can be interpreted in two ways. Too much focus can be placed on it. The myth can grow larger in the player’s minds and become debilitating. However, 2011 can also be viewed as an ideal opportunity to change the dynamic of the whole relationship. Winning the All-Ireland appears to have changed something in Cork. There’s a long way to go to win the war against Kerry but delivering a knock-out punch in Dublin would officially turn the tide. For the first time since 2007, Kerry will have an awful lot to lose.

As champions, Cork will start the championship as favourites. They will know this fact isn’t worth a second thought. From bitter experience, they’re aware the pecking order in May is irrelevant. The doomsday scenario of an early summer exit could even relegate their 2010 victory to a footnote in GAA history where they fell over the line having not beaten either of the two powerhouses en route. However, they will also be aware that they now have a chance to grab back the respect they’ve earned. They have an opportunity to begin a period of dominance and create a legacy of their own. Deep down this would be infinitely more satisfying than last year’s sole All-Ireland.

Expect Cork to worry very little about last year or the future. They will bid to play in the Now and set out their stall as a ruthless animal winning each game as it comes.