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Hurling

Ice buckets flying and a fiery sermon | All Ireland final half time drama

On this week's Saturday Panel, we looked back at Cork's 1990 All-Ireland title double, with hurli...



Ice buckets flying and a fiery...
Hurling

Ice buckets flying and a fiery sermon | All Ireland final half time drama

On this week's Saturday Panel, we looked back at Cork's 1990 All-Ireland title double, with hurling captain Tomas Mulcahy, football captain Larry Tompkins and broadcaster Trevor Welch.

Tomas Mulcahy relived the now-legendary scenes in the Cork dressing room at halftime as they trailed by five points against Galway in the All Ireland Final:

"We were absolutely cat. We went in at half time, oh my god did we get some roasting," he told OTB.

all ireland 2 September 1990; Cork captain Tomás Mulcahy, front right, and goalkeeper Ger Cunningham lead the Cork team onto the pitch alongside Galway. Cork v Galway, All-Ireland Hurling Final, Croke Park. Picture credit: Ray McManus / SPORTSFILE

The Cork manager, Fr Michael O’Brien, ordered, "You, you and you, go into the shower area."

"Up they went and there were buckets of ice-cold water," Mulcahy continued.

"They were told, 'Take off your jerseys, it's about time you woke up lads. This is Croke Park, this is not back in the hotel. You are not back in Cork.' Fellas were gobsmacked."

That scene was followed by a halftime team talk which is seared into the former captain's memory:

"There was a defining moment, we were all around in a huddle, He [Fr Michael O’Brien, A.K.A The Cannon] said,  'You're going back out, on to the field for the second half. It's been a disaster.'

2 September 1990; Cork fans wave red and white flags on Hill 16. Cork v Galway. All-Ireland Hurling Final. Croke Park, Dublin. Picture credit: Ray McManus / SPORTSFILE

"The Cannon is there, he's down on one knee, he has a red jersey in one hand, and he has a hurley in the other hand, he's on about, 'Do it for the parish, do it for your family.'

"He said there are only three of you outside on the field there worth your sod in the first half. Kevin Hennessy, this is gospel truth, put up his finger and he says to Cannon, 'Can you name who the other two are?'

all ireland 2 September 1990; John Fitzgibbon, Cork, celebrates. Cork v Galway, All-Ireland Hurling Final, Croke Park, Dublin. Picture credit: Ray McManus / SPORTSFILE

"Kevin was having a stinker of a first half and there was a little laugh and a giggle.

But they quickly regained their focus, "There were tears in The Cannon's eyes before we went out in the second half. We'd have broken the dressing room door to get out," he concluded.

all ireland 2 September 1990; Cork captain Tomás Mulcahy lifts the Liam MacCarthy Cup. Cork v Galway, All-Ireland Hurling Final, Croke Park, Dublin. Picture credit: Ray McManus / SPORTSFILE

Tomas Mulcahy praised the patience of the manager after his fiery half-time sermon.

He gave the players on the field a chance to redeem themselves as the team slipped to 7 points behind, before eventually winning by three points - completing their half of Cork's extraordinary double.

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All-ireland All Ireland Final Football GAA Hurling Podcast