Cork were right to cancel their homecoming – let's hope it starts a new trend for All-Ireland losers

The Irish Sun

23-07-2025

CORK were right to cancel their homecoming.
Some quarters on Leeside are upset by
A Monday morning county board statement read: 'At the request of the team and management, there is no event planned for the return of the Cork hurlers.
'They would again like to thank all the entire county for their unwavering support throughout the year.'
Surely, that's more than fair. These Cork players have been through enough.
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There's no explaining that second-half capitulation against Tipperary in which they only scored two points
If those 35 minutes are impossible to fathom as a neutral journalist, how do Ryan and his players feel about it?
Cork were electric for much of the year as they won the National League and
After
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Alan Connolly, Brian Hayes, Shane Barrett and Darragh Fitzgibbon were in top form.
Tipp were rising from the ashes for sure but Cork were further down the road and this would be their time.
Sharlene Mawdsley takes part in hilarious road race as part of Tipperary's All-Ireland celebration
Fans got tattoos. The 25-C-LIAM number plates were printed and sold — and many Tipperary fans bought them in Drumcondra after Sunday's game.
All-time hero Patrick Horgan would get his medal at 37 and the red sea would party to The Frank and Walters at Croke Park.
The cutlery was on the table, the famine was about to end. But we all have a plan until we get punched in the face.
All-Ireland finals and all of the pressure that comes with them can do funny things.
Ask the Kerry footballers of 1982, Kilkenny in 2010 or any Mayo player who never reached the summit despite making it to six SFC finals in the ten seasons from 2012 to 2021.
The last place any of those panels wanted to be the day after the game was up on a stage in front of their own with no silverware to show off to them.
They want to find the biggest hole to jump into. They want to lock themselves away for months on end as they come to terms with what happened.
Of course, thousands of fans spend eye-watering amounts of their hard-earned cash to follow their counties.
And many of those lucky enough to get All-Ireland tickets put themselves through torture before they actually secure them.
PLAYERS PUT IN MORE
But the dedication and sacrifices of the players are unmatched. Entire lives are put on hold. Weddings and family occasions are skipped and relationships even hit the rocks.
They do not deserve to have to wallow in the despair of losing an All-Ireland final. You won't hear many inter-county players say they enjoy those homecomings after losing a final.
Who wants live music at a wake? Who would send their child into a sweetshop and tell them they can't have anything?
Those stages must be the loneliest places in the world when thousands of fans are staring back at you, wondering why there's no cup. Talk about rubbing their noses in it.
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Imagine the dejection Cork's players must still be feeling
The Cork players will endure enough questions and flak in the coming weeks and months as to why they failed to perform without this unnecessary event.
Sunday was Tipp's day and they got to celebrate it when they arrived in Thurles as heroes on Monday night.
They had Liam MacCarthy and were only delighted to parade him in the square in front of the adoring masses. But a dark winter lies ahead on Leeside before the team can again try to put things right.
The last thing the panel needed was the shame of facing their crestfallen public just over 24 hours after the game. Bin this nonsense for good.