Cork's oldest All-Ireland medal winner recalls cycling to a final at Croke Park in 1952

Irish Times

5 days ago

He may no longer be going to
games
but
Cork
's oldest
All-Ireland
medal winner, 99-year-old Jimmy Lynam, will be watching Sunday's decider between Cork and Tipperary as keenly as he did lining out with the great Christy Ring when the Leesiders swept all before them.
A member of the great Cork team of the early 1950s, Lynam won his first All-Ireland medal in 1952, when he came on as a sub in the final as the Rebels defeated Dublin by 2-14 to 0-7 He won his second a year later as an unused sub when they beat Galway by 3-3 to 0-8.
But Lynam's first experience of an All-Ireland was far removed from what fans experience today – he and his friend Gus O'Brien cycled to Dublin in September 1943 to watch Mick Kennefick, his 19-year-old team-mate from the Gerald Griffins club, captain Cork to victory over Antrim.
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'We left Cork about midday on Friday, and we had a bit of grub in Fermoy and then on to Cashel where we stayed overnight and headed on to Dublin on Saturday morning for the match on Sunday – we stayed on in Dublin and started back on the bikes to Cork on Tuesday morning.'
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The 1952/1953 and 1954 Cork Hurling teams in New York in 1954. Photograph: Jimmy Lynam/Provision
A team-mate of Ring with Glen Rovers when he won seven Cork County Championships, Lynam says it's not just transport to hurling games that has changed over the years – so has the game itself, with ground hurling now virtually extinct as most players' first instinct is to pick the sliotar.
'I admire the current Cork team, but I can't warm to the style of play – they have great control of the ball with the stick, but I can't understand all the flicks – it takes three men to get the ball down to the forwards – long ago Billy 'Long Puck' Murphy would have it down to them in a flash.'
Jimmy Lynam, former Cork and Glen Rovers hurler, pictured with his medal haul. Photograph: The Irish Examiner
Lynam will watch Sunday's All-Ireland final with his son, Kieran at CareChoice Ballynoe Nursing Home just outside Cork city and, as he ponders the game, he admits he as surprised by the fact that Cork have not won an All-Ireland since 2005 as he is by the modern possession game.
'I can't imagine that it's 20 years - I mean when I was growing up, Cork won the four in a row in the 1940s and the three in a row in the 1950s but 20 years, that's a long, long, time,' says Lynam, who admits he is wary of Tipperary, given his experience of the Premier County over the years.
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All-Ireland hurling final: Cork v Tipperary by the numbers
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'I wasn't the greatest hurler ever, but I could read a match well and I had good speed, and I needed it against
Tipp
– there's never any match easy and certainly not against Tipp – they were tough in my day and they're still a top team so I would be wary of them.'
Brothers Noel and Jimmy Lynam, at Carechoice Nursing Home, Ballynoe, Co Cork. Photograph: The Irish Examiner
Lynam reveals he is impressed by his fellow Glen Rovers man, Patrick Horgan, describing him as 'nice, cool free taker' while the other two Glen men on the Cork team, captain Rob Downey and his brother, Eoin have also impressed him with their ability to defend well under pressure.
'Cork are very determined, and they were exceptional against Dublin – I mean scoring seven goals was exceptional – they won't get it that easy against Tipp, but it would be great if they win on Sunday – it would mean a lot to Cork and get us back into the routine of winning All-Irelands.'