By EchoLive.ie John McHale
It’s hard to imagine any team in any sport in the world that matches the love and loyalty shown to the Cork senior hurling team by their supporters.
When you take populations size into account, percentage wise, nothing can match the volume of fans that travel all over the country following Pat Ryan’s men.
On Saturday, in Croke Park, there must have been more than 60,000 fans in red, cheering on Cork against Dublin.
They had taken over the capital with all sorts of Cork jerseys on display from early in the day. Barry’s Tea, Esat Digifone, Chill, the current version of Sports Direct and various other assortments of red jersey were everywhere.
The girls were well represented by SuperValu and Kearys. It was red and white as far as the eye could see.
The Cork fans like the Cork team had not travelled to take part, they were here to take over the city and Croke Park and that they did with incredible support.
It was breath-taking to see from the press box which is situated in the upper tiers of the Hogan Stand.
Looking down to see such red and white was incredibly uplifting and it made you take a step back, a deep breath and with the hairs standing on the back of your neck it was time for pause and look on in amazement as they sang their songs of wordship to the players.
Oh to be a Rebel and Rebels, Rebels were just two of the many chants.
Before the game, on the way to the match it was obvious that Cork fans were here in huge numbers.
We knew that would be the case since early last week when tickets were put on sale and were snapped up by eager fans in minutes.
The traffic leaving Cork at 9am on Saturday morning was bizarre. There was a 30 minute delay in getting through the first toll near Fermoy. It didn’t ease up the whole journey.
I can safely say without fear of contradiction this was the biggest ever support at any venue in any sport for any Cork team. EVER. No one has ever seen support like this before.
Cork people’s desire to be part of this journey reminds me of the madness that followed the Munster team that won their first Heineken Cup title in 2006 and again in 2008.
Back then Munster were chasing their first title after suffering heartbreak losing to Northampton in a previous final and they were everyone’s favourite team.
Cork are now on this journey for 20 years – seeking to bring Liam McCarthy back to his place of birth.
Generations of Cork fans in the ground today have not seen a senior Cork hurling team win the All-Ireland title.
The fans hope and believe that the famine is going to end this year and no one wants to miss out.
That Munster team was a team full of Cork men who were great characters and players, exactly like the hurling team is now.
Both sides, that Munster team and the current Cork hurlers leave it all on the pitch every time and regardless of result, effort and application is never missing – that adds to why they are loved so much.
They represent the city and county with pride and professionalism and never lose sight of the fact that they are only borrowing the jersey and that the only demand we place on them is to leave it in a better place for the next generation.
But it is hard to believe it’s 20 years since Sean Og made that famous speech as gaeilge as the victorious captain.
So much has happened since then.
The Cork footballers won an All-Ireland title in 2010, the ladies footballers won 11 All-Ireland titles in that time, while the camogie team have lifted the O’Duffy Cup on 10 occasions in this time.
Cork City have won the Premier Division twice, 2005 and 2017.
Great hurlers who gave years of service to Cork like Anthony Nash, Eoin and Alan Cadogan, Shane O’Neill, Pa Cronin and Cathal Naughton have come and gone without winning a Celtic Cross medal.
That’s hard to believe.
And now as Fr Time appears over the horizon Patrick Horgan, Seamus Harnedy, Conor Lehane and Damien Cahalane will be hoping their careers won’t end the same way That would be a tragedy if that happened when you consider the service they have given to this county.
The Ryan family also deserve to end this year in glory. Pat, not alone has he led the team magnificently, but the class and composure the whole Ryan family showed when his brother Ray suddenly passed, it would be fitting to win the All-Ireland in his memory.
And now thanks to the brilliant win over Dublin these guys get one more chance to end the famine and win that one medal they have been chasing for the best part of 15 years each.
All I will say about the performance is this. Others more knowledgeable than me on the other pages will go into it blow by blow, but at times the hurling on display was for another planet.
Was it perfect? No, but as close as it doesn’t matter.
And now the trouble begins.
The hunt for tickets and I want to say here and now – I do not have any. I do not have access to any. I will have trouble sourcing two for myself.
My phone will be off for the next two weeks.
Happy hunting guys. I wish you luck. It will be like the loafs and fishes.