Cleary and Cork complete rise from Banagher ashes

FOR Pat Gilroy’s Dubs it was Corduff.

For the Cork ladies it was Banagher.

Though miles from Croke Park, both outposts were central to the capture of All-Ireland titles in the male and female codes this month.

It was on a routine pre-season trip to Monaghan that Dublin lanced the boil that was their 17-point defeat to Kerry in 2009 and paved the way to Sam Maguire, while Cork’s recapture of the Brendan Martin Cup on Sunday started with the losing of it in a quarter-final last summer in Offaly.

“We said all along that the foundation for this year was the dressing room in Banagher after that defeat against Tyrone last year,” said wing-forward Nollaig Cleary.

“We decided there and then that it was a case of quit or all come back and make up for it. Everyone stayed on and then Breige Corkery came back [from travelling in Australia] as well which was a huge boost. When a game is in the balance, Breige is a great player to have on your side.”

Corkery and Cleary were two of the 12 members of the 30-player panel who claimed their sixth All-Ireland medals in just seven years two days ago. Add in a slew of Munster and league trinkets to boot and the question now is what next for this group of high achievers.

Coach Eamon Ryan didn’t say it in so many words after the final whistle but it didn’t take much reading between the lines to gather that he was all for staying on and seeking title number seven in 2012 but what of his players?

“Some of us are older than others and we aren’t going to be around forever but whenever some people do decide to call it a day we have some good younger players who can step up and do a job when that happens but that’s a worry for another day,” said Cleary.

For now, their focus stretches no further than milking the moment this week but there was a tinge of sadness about the game itself given the suspected cruciate ligament injury suffered by captain Amy O’Shea shortly after half time against Monaghan.

The Inch Rovers forward has already suffered long-term cruciate injuries on each knee and she is far from alone in a Cork panel that has been cursed by a medical concern far more prevalent in female sportspeople than their male counterparts.

“God yeah, there has been some amount of cruciates in the panel,” said Cleary. “Touch wood I haven’t been one of them but it is absolutely frightening. I actually didn’t see what happened but when I saw the physio come on I kind of knew it was serious.

“Amy is our captain and she doesn’t stay down for just anything. She’s hobbling about the place today but she is in good form and if we had lost it would have been a lot more painful for her to put up with.”

Cleary did as much as anyone to dilute her skipper’s suffering, scoring the first of Cork’s two goals after 22 minutes thanks to a terrible mistake by Monaghan goalkeeper Linda Martin, who was lobbed after an attempted short kick-out that was badly miscued.

“It was very surreal. It was just great to get it,” said Cleary.

The mistake was doubly unfortunate because it solidified the general perception among some about the standards of the women’s game but this was the third time Cork have claimed victory in the decider with less than a goal to spare.

Cleary added: “Before, you might have a few players who would dominate down the middle of the pitch but that isn’t the case anymore. Now, teams are strong from one to 15, every player is outstanding.

“The fitness has improved too. It is getting harder.”