Cork legend Charlie McCarthy on terrific Rebel support, what it takes to lift Liam MacCarthy and modern hurling

The frenzy that the Cork hurling team are creating in this city and county is something that five-time senior All-Ireland winner Charlie McCarthy has never witnessed in his long and distinguished career.

“To be honest, Cork always had terrific support but the present fans are at a different level. I would say out of the 40,000 people that were in Thurles, Cork must have had 35,000 and that’s incredible in every sense of the word,” said the St Finbarr's legend.

Cork are without a senior All-Ireland since 2005 and it baffles McCarthy how the Rebel county haven’t won a major title for so long.

The honest answer is I really don’t know but I will say we have had no luck in recent years and surely that must change sooner than later."

Does Charlie think there is a huge change from the 1960s and '70s to the present standard of hurling?

“The present guys playing at the top tier are so much more athletic as back in the day we trained Monday to Wednesday doing our usual two laps of the pitch as a warm-up and then it was a game of back and forwards,” added McCarthy.

Hurling is now a possession game.

There is no ground or pulling in the air as teams are now intent in keeping possession and I haven’t a problem with that as to be fair the skills we are witnessing are off the charts.” 

Cork go to GAA Headquarters to face Galway on Saturday and McCarthy is hoping that can produce another quality display.

“It will be tough as Galway have upset Cork before at this stage of the championship but surely if we bring our A game to Croker it should suffice.” 

The hurling skills of McCarthy for Cork and the Barrs were widely recognised as he won every prize on offer. It was evident from a young age, he was destined to play at the top level for his county.

McCarthy was born in 1946 and his determination to succeed was seen from a young age who loved to have a camán in his hands. He joined his beloved St Finbarr’s as a young lad but he had to wait until 1963 for his first taste of success when he helped his club win the minor county.

The following year, he won his first All-Ireland medal with Cork when they won the minor hurling title and this was to be the beginning of the McCarthy fairytale in the sport.

St Finbarr’s won the 1965 hurling county and again in 1968, ’74, ’77, ’80, and ’81, bringing Charlie’s senior championship medal haul to six.

In 1966, McCarthy won his first Senior All-Ireland medal which was followed four years later by his second medal.

He got a late call-up to the senior team in '66, as a young Cork team came from nowhere to land the big prize.

“We were due to play Clare in the quarter-final of the Munster championship, but I wasn’t in the squad and after a night out with my girlfriend Pauline (now my wife) I arrived home to be told by my mother that I was to be in Cook Street at 10am on Sunday morning as she got a call from selector Tony O’Shaughnessy. I don’t think that would happen in today’s scene!” 

Difference-maker

He was one of the rocks that Cork’s famous treble was built on. His skills and eye for goal when games hung in the balance helped the Rebels over the line.

Cork romped to victory in 1976 and after winning the title again in 1977, fate dictated that McCarthy would be the man that would lift the Liam McCarthy in 1978.

That proved to be the highlight of McCarthy’s career.

“It was always an honour to win an All-Ireland but for me to captain the team to the magical treble is something special."

McCarthy bowed out of Inter-county hurling in 1980 after playing for 15 years at the top level.

“I was proud to grace the field with some outstanding hurlers and to me each and every player that I played with had their own special qualities.” 

Charlie paid tribute to Miah Lynch, the Barrs man of the 1940s for giving him great coaching and advice over the years.

When you speak to the majority of genuine and trusted GAA people and the name of Charlie McCarthy pops up in conversation the word gentleman is always associated with the great man.

The McCarthy family consisting of wife Pauline and three children Donna, Carol-Ann and Cathal are all very proud of their father’s achievements.

Many great hurlers have been proud to wear the famous red and white jersey of Cork, but Charlie McCarthy is right up there with the best of them.