Teddy McCarthy: 9-12 the perfect date for tribute matches

Inter-county action in Páirc Uí Chaoimh is certainly a novelty, but there is something very fitting about Teddy McCarthy being honoured tomorrow.

On the one hand, it makes sense that someone who did something that no other man has ever done – or likely will do – in GAA history is feted with a unique occasion. Beyond that, the date for the games against Meath in football and Galway in hurling could not be better chosen.

Saturday is December 9, or 9-12 in figure format. On September 2, 1990, Teddy wore the number 9 jersey for the Cork hurlers as he partnered Brendan O’Sullivan in the 5-15 to 2-21 hurling final win over Galway. A fortnight later, he was named at left half-forward, with 12 stitched on to the back of his red shirt, for the 0-11 to 0-9 victory against Meath.

It promises to be a day of festivity down the Marina. Both of the 1990 teams will be honoured with a function and will be presented to the crowd at half-time during the respective matches. A series of interviews will take place with some of Teddy's former colleagues and opponents at a special event in the Seandún room.

Mini-games will include Glanmire ladies’ football, Sarsfields and Passage under-age teams as well as North Monastery first years.

The football game against Meath commences at 3pm, while the hurlers of Cork and Galway do battle at 5pm. Specially commissioned memorial trophies will be presented to the winners of each match.

Speaking to The Echo about his club and county team-mate, former Cork hurler John Considine underlined just why there was such a strong connection between Teddy Mac and the Cork supporters.

“A guy like that, there’s no stage too big for him and that’s what people love about him,” he said.

“He was so independent. Plenty fellas learned to their cost after they tried to dog him on the field that it was not a good course of action, because he was able to stand up for himself physically.

“In the eyes of the general public, he was real hero material – here was a guy who could win his own ball and couldn’t be pushed around and he could play any game he wanted. Fellas love that.

That independence, on the field and off the field, you can see why he was and is so well-loved. That toughness – all of us probably wanted to be more like him, in that respect.

“He was a real figure that everybody looked up to.”

Tickets are priced at €20 and €17 (OAPs & students) and are available to purchase online, while all U16s are free. The games will also be broadcast on Rebels Online. All proceeds go to the Teddy McCarthy Memorial Fund, with hopes that a monument in his honour will be produced in time.

For full details, see https://gaacork.ie/teddymac/