It is as hard to disguise that grin after winning as it is to hide a frown after losing, writes GAVIN CUMMISKEY

SIFTING THROUGH the ashes of Cork’s supposed breakthrough year, but all that can be seen are their smiling neighbours.

Seeking explanations from proud men, hurting just moments after the lowest moment of their careers, for some it is the realisation that an All-Ireland medal so agonisingly close to their grasp will never be attained, eh, can prove difficult.

They walk past like the living dead.

Tadhg Kennelly and some tanned friends pass by as well.

It is only sport, but yesterday at 5.30pm it seemed like something else. No amount of consoling or reflection will ease the pain that resides deep in the gut.

Stalling to provide a candid interview with mostly nameless tape recorders is one of the many tedious actions they can avoid. There are many they cannot.

It helps that Conor Counihan and Graham Canty are escorted into the press room, built to facilitate the visit of professional sports to Croke Park, as they provided a decoy from prying media to escape to the safety of the Players’ Lounge.

They walk in to be greeted by their victorious opponents and their loved ones. Super. Now, the Kerry boys seem fairly sound, so they won’t be jumping around with their tops off. No, but it is just as hard to disguise that ear-to-ear grin after winning an All-Ireland as it is to hide a sombre frown after losing one. That brief period of post-match drinks together must seem like scheduling a wedding and funeral in the same function room.

Then it’s off to the dinner. This is when the night begins to stretch out. It helps if you like porter, as there is plenty on tap, and top-shelf stuff too. It doesn’t help that Kerry are in a nearby Dublin 4 hotel, practically within earshot.

Kieran Donaghy slows to reflect on what has just transpired: 2009 has been a slow year for ‘Star’. No chance of winning the footballer of the year gong. At least he can play basketball for his beloved Tralee Tigers instead of attending that particular awards function. That will suit him just fine.

Still, a bad Kieran Donaghy season is only due to a few hundred hours rehabilitating a tiny bone in his foot. Twice.

The double break, in the league final against Derry and then the qualifiers against Longford, meant he went seeking a new hobby, but he proved completely unemployable as a water-carrier after drawing a minor assault from a Dublin player in the All-Ireland quarter-final.

Turns out Cork had been taken care of by some Tommy Walsh magic in the seconds prior to Donaghy’s introduction. We waited for the Rebels’ dying swipe but it never came. All they did in the closing minutes was react to Donaghy’s introduction (at least we know they can learn from past mistakes) by flinging Derek Kavanagh straight on after him.

“I suppose it was sweet to get on because I had a tough enough year trying to get back into the fold. It is so good a team that when I hurt my leg on July 11th I said I will try and get back in case we make the All-Ireland. It is great for us to get back to where we belong and bring Sam home, where it should be.”

Cork did to Kerry what Kerry did to Dublin. Kerry reacted differently.

“I thought how we reacted to the early goal won us the game. If we had folded a small bit and they got ahead of us like we did against Dublin, it could have been over. But we didn’t. We stuck to our guns and all of a sudden went in at half-time up two points.”

Aidan O’Mahony is leaning against the Hogan Stand speaking about his even smaller cameo appearance. He touches on a particular motivation that drove the panel once The Man came back in early spring.

“On a lot of lads’ minds today was Darragh Ó Sé. He has played I don’t know how many All-Irelands and this is his sixth All-Ireland (medal). We made a pact that that man deserved an All-Ireland medal. That was driving us on.”