Munster title would be 'ultimate reward' for Cork footballers says John Cleary

"None of the lads, I don't think, have a Munster medal. I think for the hardcore Cork football public as well, it would be fantastic," said the Cork manager.

ULTIMATE REWARD: John Cleary after the Munster GAA Football Senior Championship quarter-final match between Cork and Limerick. Pic: Brendan Moran/Sportsfile

The people of Cork hardly need any reminding of how long it has been since their footballers last emerged victorious from a championship match in Killarney.

Nonetheless, that hasn’t stopped the reminders from coming after the Rebels and the Kingdom booked their places in the Munster final with their victories over Tipperary and Clare respectively.

31 years it has been. 31 long, painful years since Cork edged Kerry 0-15 to 1-9 in the 1995 Munster football final at Fitzgerald Stadium.

But fortunately for the current crop of Cork footballers, they are led by a manager who knows plenty about winning big matches across the county bounds.

“My own memories as a young fella are of being taken by my own father and mother down to Killarney in the early 70s before I started playing,” began John Cleary.

“They were great days out and we always looked forward to it every second year.

“My first minor title with Cork was down in Killarney. We won there in '81 by a point and it was a fantastic day out. Then coming on to senior, I suppose we won there in '87 and '89 when I was playing, and '93.

“So, I was lucky enough to have three victories there. But they were always special days out. Lovely stadium, the crowd in on top of the pitch.

“Then there were other days when we weren't successful. Kerry in their pomp were so hard to beat that time as well. But overall, some great memories and some great days out there."

What Cleary would give to enjoy another victory there this Sunday because as well as waiting over three decades to witness another Cork win in Killarney, it’s five years since their last appearance in the provincial decider and 14 years since they last lifted the Munster title, now known as the Corn Pháidí Uí Shé.

But following their recent promotion back to Division 1 and their emphatic victory (in the end) over Tipperary in the semis, the Rebels will feel they are well placed to cause an upset this weekend.

They did also defeat Kerry at Fitzgerald Stadium in the McGrath Cup final back in January, although Cleary believes that will have little impact on this match.

"I don't think so. Not really. I think it was two experimental teams at the time, it was a 30-minute-a-side game, it was pre-season.

“Look, any game you go out to play, you'd rather be winning than losing. But there certainly wasn't any celebrations or anything after it. It was nice but it will have no bearing on what will happen in this game,” he insisted, instead choosing to focus on their one-score Munster semis against Kerry over the past two years, the most recent of which was settled after extra-time.

“Two years ago in Killarney, we were nip and tuck but Kerry were probably the better team in the end and I think they won by three.

“Last year was maybe one that we could have won. It went to extra-time, we got a couple of unfortunate decisions, but it was very, very close. Kerry just about got over the line.

“As I said, we could have won it, maybe not should have won it, and you'd be disappointed in that.

“But I think it gives a small bit of credence that if we do play well, we mightn't be that far away.

“The season has gone reasonably well so far. Our number one aim was to try and get promotion and we did get that.

“The next aim then was to get to a Munster final because it opened all sorts of doors for us going forward because whatever happens in the Munster final, we have a home draw then after that.

“But I do think that our panel has been building slowly and getting stronger in the last couple of years. We'll have injuries, every team has injuries, but I think we're in as good a position as we possibly could be.

"We’ve put in a hard shift now and this would be the ultimate reward really. None of the lads, I don't think, have a Munster medal.

“I think for the hardcore Cork football public as well, it would be fantastic. But look, we're looking at it as just another game.

“It's 15 on 15 and whatever happens after that will happen. But all we want to do now is just concentrate on the game."

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