ALL-IRELAND FINAL: BUILD-UP FOR MUNSTER'S FINEST:WHAT WOULD Christy Ring make of it all? It was the Cloyne maestro who suggested that a line should be drawn from Charleville to Kinsale and every football east of it be punctured – and here Cork are in an All-Ireland Final coached by a man from the heart of east Cork.
Of course, Conor Counihan also played hurling with his club, Aghada, but it was as centre-back on two All-Ireland winning football Cork teams in 1989 and 1990 that the teak-tough defender made his name.
“Aghada was all hurling up until the 1960, but a Beara man called Seán Power came teaching there in the 1960s and it was he who introduced football – they wouldn’t have known what football was only for him – he’s the man responsible for Aghada producing footballers.”
Now retired and living in nearby Carrigtwohill, Seán Power modestly recalls that while he introduced football in the primary school, they didn’t have much success. “It was only after I left that they started winning,” he said with a smile.
Although Seán was gone from Aghada before Conor and current player Pearse O’Neill attended primary school, he has followed their fortunes closely and reckons they will do the business tomorrow. “I’d be very hopeful, but they will have to start well.”
Another schoolteacher taking a close interest in the final will be Rathmore-born John Kelly, principal at Blarney Boys’ National School and father of Paddy Kelly from Ballincollig who will be lining out at half-forward for Cork. “I grew up supporting Kerry but family comes first and it wasn’t very difficult to start supporting Cork when Patrick started playing,” said John whose wife Kathleen is from Knocknagree in the same parish as Rathmore but on the Cork side.
Ballydesmond, like Knocknagree and Rathmore, is also in the front line when it comes to Cork-Kerry rivalry and Kerryman Dan O’Connor is well used to media queries about supporting Cork ever since his son Donnacha began lining out for the Rebels.
“We’re even more supportive of Cork this time than in 2007 if that’s possible,” said Dan “and we’re confident – they’ve had a great campaign so far and hopefully we’ll be bringing back Sam to Ballydesmond on foot of a Cork win.”
Moving south along the front line down past Ballydaly and Ballyvourney, just a kick of a ball inside Kerry, stands the Top of Coom pub which will occupy the most precarious position in all of Ireland tomorrow afternoon.
Perched at 1,045ft over Kilgarvan on the one side and the Cork Gaeltacht of Cúil Aodha on the other, the Top of Coom claims to be the highest pub in Ireland and has long been been rated as one of the best locations to savour a Cork-Kerry clash.
Proprietor Eileen Creedon, who runs the pub with her husband Tim, said she expects the house to be packed on Sunday and “it will be 60 per cent Cork and 40 per cent Kerry people”.
Eileen’s is a mixed marriage. She hails from near Macroom, while Tim is a staunch Kerryman. Yesterday she was busy decorating the premises in both Cork and Kerry colours and setting out a second television to cope with the numbers.
The Creedons have secured both a Cork jersey and a Kerry jersey signed by both teams and they will be distributing red and green raffle tickets to patrons on Sunday. “It doesn’t matter who wins. It’s all great fun,” said Ms Creedon said.
In Kerry, where religion and football mix easily, a 12ft banner of Colm Cooper hangs outside St Mary’s Cathedral in Killarney, proudly proclaims the “gospel” for the third Sunday in September.
“Yes we can, with the Ardshan Man,” declares the Barack Obama-inspired banner, referring to Gooch’s home in Ardshanavooley. “We want to wish Colm and his family well,” said curate Fr Kevin McNamara.