Teddy McCarthy was in Thurles on Sunday watching Cork do what he did best: Winning All-Irelands

In the iconography of the GAA's greatest moments, McCarthy’s status as one of the greatest high fielders in both codes, especially in hurling, will forever endure

Teddy McCarthy in the 1990 All-Ireland final win over Meath that completed dual double for the Sars/Glanmire hero.

In Thurles last Sunday, Teddy McCarthy sat in the VIP Box in the Ryan Stand in Semple Stadium, directly in front of Tomás Mulcahy, with Brian Murphy a few rows in front of. Between the minor and U20 games, McCarthy had tea in the hospitality room in the school behind the dome before going back up to his seat to watch Cork do what he made his name at – winning All-Irelands.

Nobody did it better. On one of the GAA’s shortest and most prestigious lists, McCarthy will sit on top of it forever, out on his own by a distance. Only 14 players have won All-Ireland medals in hurling and football, on the field of play. Eight of them are from Cork — Billy Mackessy, Jack Lynch, Brian Murphy, Ray Cummins, Denis Coughlan, Jimmy Barry-Murphy, Denis Walsh and McCarthy. His status though, towers above everyone else through his achievement in winning both titles in the same year in 1990.