‘The rivalry and hatred there just fuels you’

They grasped silverware again in April yet the applause did not come tumbling down from the stands to greet Cork’s third successive league title.

Great hordes of Rebel support were absent but the football squad have grown accustomed to it. In Patrick Kelly’s mind, it is the search for trophies rather than acclaim that fuels their drive.

“The traditional fan base is for the hurlers and that’s always been the case. We make a joke about it more than anything. When the hurlers do well, we’d be saying that’s another few we’ve lost to them or taking the piss out of ourselves when you’ve very few at some away league games. We play league matches in Páirc Uí Chaoimh in front 1,000 or 2,000 people and it’s dead. Páirc Uí Chaoimh looks awful when it’s empty. I know there’s things with health and safety for grounds but if you could bring one league game a year down to West Cork and one up to Mallow, I imagine that’d generate huge interest. But ultimately you don’t play to get crowds supporting you, you’re playing to win.”