Jack O'Connor still keeping that eye on a re-emerging Cork

Kerry's view of their footballing neighbours has been an irritant in Cork ever since golden years Mick O'Dwyer described them as the second-best team in the country.

Tue, 23 Jan, 2024 - 22:39

Tony Leen

The Cork football diehards did a double take as they took their favoured spots on the Páirc Ui Rinn covered terrace for Saturday's McGrath Cup final with Kerry. In their midst, the hooded hunch of Jack O'Connor, and the considerable frame of his Kerry management colleague, Diarmuid Murphy. A different perspective on them and us.

Mick O'Kerry's view of their footballing neighbours has been an irritant in Cork ever since golden years Mick O'Dwyer described them as the second-best team in the country. Every Kerry manager - in fact, native - since finds it difficult to proffer any opinion of their neighbours and have it considered at face value. Often it's a convenient scape-goating for Cork's own frustration at years of false dawns.