The Páirc’s growing pains
The date is irrelevant really, more the setting that he wants to get across.
The Down football team had been invited south by the Capuchin priests to partake in a tournament at the Cork Athletics Grounds, as it was then, and decided to fly into Cork Airport for the day’s football.
Their method of transport was certainly unique, unheard of even at that time, but the facilities they arrived to were by no means first class.
“There was no stand as there is now,” recalls the former County Board PRO.
“There was one small stand on the Blackrock river side and the dressing rooms were down underneath that stand. On wet days the rain would seep down through into the dressing room. Players’ clothes often got wet. They would come in from a match to find their gear drenched.”
The ground was overhauled in 1973 and three years later the finished product was unveiled. Páirc Uí Chaoimh, as we know it today, was born. Less than a month old, the ground hosted the Munster football final and Larkin can still picture the flow of spectators climbing the low wall to get a better view of the provincial showpiece. Chaos, pure and simple.
The 40,000 plus who had converged for this latest instalment of the Cork v Kerry rivalry were unfamiliar with the ground’s new design, supporters from both sides packing onto the sidelines and behind the goals. Players were forced to meander their way through the spectators when taking sidelines and kick-outs, with referee John Maloney halting proceedings numerous times to prevent the crowd from spilling on to the pitch.
The game ended in a draw; a wire fence was erected for the replay. “It still didn’t stop them,” laughs Larkin.
The problem the second day out lay not with the spectators however, but two game-defining decisions by Maloney.
Firstly, Cork’s Brian Murphy was adjudged to have carried the ball behind the white paint when attempting to save Seanie Walsh’s blistering effort. Then Declan Barron’s fisted goal at the other end was disallowed for a square infringement. Kerry eventually won out in extra time by 3-20 to 2-19. “To this day, Cork people are adamant the referee got those two decisions wrong. Cork felt that if they had won that match the Kerry team would never have taken off.”
Moving forward to 1977 and with the Rebel hurlers stringing together back-to-back All-Ireland titles, interest in the game Leeside was never stronger. It seemed only right that the county final would throw up the pairing that every hurling enthusiast yearned for; the Glen versus the Barrs. Eight of the Cork team that starred in the September victory over Wexford would feature. The attendance tipped 34,000.
“For a county final it was an unreal crowd,” said Larkin. “This was the northside versus the southside and everyone wanted to be present. You knew there would be fireworks.”
A rivalry had always been evident between the two clubs, but there was a sub-plot at play here.
“Most of the players worked in Ford’s or Dunlop’s. Everyone wanted the bragging rights. The Dunlop factory made tyres and was just across the road from the Ford motors. There was great slagging building up to the match, but no one wanted to have to go into work the following Monday morning carrying the wounds of defeat.”
St Finbarr’s delivered a devastating display to run out 12-point winners, ending Glen Rovers’ reign as Cork and All-Ireland club champions.
