As the victory speech became a procession in Croke Park last Sunday week, it was difficult not to be moved by an elderly man with tears flowing down his cheeks. A native of West Cork, hurling All Irelands did nothing for him, Gaelic Football was his game. He had been there in 1990 to watch Cork win the double, and the following night when Bishop John Buckley spoke of the people of Ireland wishing they were from Cork, his voice would have shouted loudest. That was his last time to see Cork win a football All Ireland, before they succumbed to heartbreak in 1993 against Derry, 1999 against Meath, and 2007 and 2007 to the old foe. Its not that long ago, he was of the belief that he wouldn’t witness another. Well into his seventies, and torn apart with cancer, he had been told by doctors last March that his time was up. Nothing could be done, and it was a matter of days rather than weeks. Perhaps the man above was smiling on Cork in 2010.

Sometimes, things just seem to go your way. It’s not that you try any less hard when you lose a final, than when you win, but when you lose a final everything is dissected, every dodgy pass and every blamed free is missed for defeat. Winning teams are spoken of as showing great leadership, losing teams are spoken of as lacking leadership, but it’s not fashionable to suggest that the players on the losing team on some occasions can actually show more leadership than the winning teams. Speaking of ifs, buts and maybes isn’t fashionable. This writer has been criticised in the past for speaking of teams who are successful, as perhaps not being as deserving of their title in the year they won, as they might have been in a year they don’t win. The accepted theory is that you are the deserving champions in the years that you win, and that nothing else matters. However it cannot be as simplistic as that. That analogy can certainly be applied to Cork in 2009 and 2010. In 2009 it was an experience to stand in the City End terrace at Páirc Uí Caoimh and watch them blitz Kerry in a display of pulsating football. Better football than displayed at any stage in 2010 it must be said. They also demolished Donegal, and dumped the then reigning champions Tyrone out of the championship.

In the 2009 final, the placed balls didn’t happen for Daniel Goulding, but in 2010 he slotted 45’s with plenty of crossbar clearance. In a one-point game last Sunday, those kicks were ultimately the difference. It makes one wonder how long the grass was in Croke Park last Sunday. Having been on the field in Killarney on the day of the Munster final, this writer was shocked at the height of the grass on the pitch. It had been rolled and flattened to lessen the effect, but if it were a domestic lawn, one would be half considering cutting it. It was certainly much longer than the grass at Pairc Ui Caoimh, Dungarvan, Semple Stadium, The Gaelic Grounds, and other surfaces walked upon this summer at various stages on. One assumes that the reason for the high grass was to provide a cushion for the dead ball specialist Bryan Sheehan. There is no denying that a decent cushion helps the kicker get more height into his kick from the ground. It would be interesting to know if the height of the grass in Croke Park had any bearing on the difference between Daniel Goulding's kicks in 2009 and 2010. But naturally so as not to be dismissed as claiming the grass was the sole difference between Cork winning and not winning an All Ireland, it must be stated that there is far more to it than that.

Cork laboured to victory in so many games this year, and perhaps were better off labouring to victory because it kept expectation to a minimum. There were days and nights when their name and their name only must have been on the cup, such as the night in the Gaelic Grounds, and on the day of the All Ireland semi final against Dublin at Croke Park. Even in the final itself, the quick succession of scores against the run of play before half time, had a huge bearing on the game, perhaps the most crucial period of the game for them. But the introduction of Graham Canty was the key moment in the 2010 final. From the moment he entered the field it was plain to be seen that his organisation of he troops, his instinctive ability to get himself on the ball, and his decision-making when the opposition had possession had a major bearing on the game. He was a worthy captain, and while until his introduction, Cork had played true to their indifferent 2010 form, one sensed in the stadium that there would be only one winner when Canty was on the field. A worthy captain. But one cannot forget the others, such as the other sub Nicholas Murphy, Aidan Walsh, Donnacha O’Connor, Paddy Kelly etc. who emptied their respective tanks on the field.

In Limerick we have suffered Unlimited Heartbreak, but in Cork it’s often forgotten in the midst of all the silverware that their footballers have shed many tears on All Ireland Final day. In 1993, it was the day of the unfair Tony Davis sending off and the second half Joe Brolly demolition job on Brian Corcoran. In 1999 it was the goal from the Ollie Murphy, and the Graham Geraghty points off Sean Og. In both finals, Joe Kavanagh scored goals to remember but the cup went elsewhere. In 2007, it was the day of the defensive mistakes and the day James Masters was played when he wasn’t ready. Last year was the day of the self confessed, Tadhg Kennelly kiss and tell, and the day that the Cork chances wouldn’t force themselves between the posts.

Looking back from now, Cork might have been seen as having beaten the cream to claim victory, had they overturned Kerry in last year’s final, but natural justice has been done this year. But they won’t sit on their laurels, they have business to attend to in 2011. Just as in 1990, when they were driven to retain Sam, for one sole reason, beating Meath, they will want to come back and beat Kerry in Croke Park next year. And who would bet against them now?