Cork's last championship win over Tyrone was special

BACK in 2009, Cork defeated Donegal and Tyrone in successive games and in 2024, this current Rebels team took care of the green and gold with the Red Hand County now next in line on Saturday at Glenisk O'Connor Park (3pm). 

In 2009, the Rebels were serious All-Ireland contenders, and after hammering Donegal 1-27 to 2-10 in the All-Ireland quarter-finals, Conor Counihan’s side backed it up with a gritty 1-13 to 0-11 win over Tyrone.

It would end in All-Ireland final heartache once again, but Cork recovered to lift the Sam Maguire Cup in 2010 and in the process end a 20-year wait. These days, Cork have been in the wilderness for the best part of ten years, but over the past two years they have shown signs of stirring again under the tutelage of John Cleary and his management team.

Cork have reached the last two All-Ireland quarter-finals, closed the gap on Kerry, defeated the likes of Mayo and Roscommom, but the win over Donegal two weeks ago was huge in the All-Ireland Group 3 Round 2 encounter but they simply have to back it up at the weekend.

A win against Tyrone and then Cork will be back in Croker for the All-Ireland quarter-finals, but to beat Ulster sides back-to-back would be further proof of Cork’s upward trajectory.

Cork won’t fear Tyrone, never have and that 2009 win just underlined that. Despite being forced to play for more than half the game a man short, following the dismissal of midfielder Alan O’Connor, Cork dethroned champions Tyrone with a performance laced with passion and commitment.

In front of a crowd of 53,492, Conor Counihan’s men displayed immense courage as they snuffed out all the major threats posed by Mickey Harte’s outfit. This scribe was there that day but having watched it back in full this week, it feels like only yesterday, but in reality it was 15 years ago.

It was Daniel Goulding who blasted in the seventh minute goal that set the Rebels on their way. The Éire Óg man connected crisply with a first-time shot after Paul Kerrigan’s shot had been blocked down by Justin McMahon.

Cork led by 1-9 to 0-7 at the short whistle and despite Tyrone having a man advantage, the Leesiders kept them at arms-length largely down to immense work-rate, forcing a series of turnovers.

Donncha O’Connor, Paddy Kelly, what a Rolls-Royce of a footballer he was, and Colm O’Neill, really shone in the second half with the hard-working midfield pairing of Alan O’Connor and Nicholas Murphy making sure Tyrone didn’t get a grip in that area.

In defence, Cork were warriors with the likes of hardmen Anthony Lynch, Noel O’Leary, Graham Canty and John Miskella using their experience, guile and cuteness.

Back-to-back wins over Donegal and Tyrone were achieved with those same battling qualities we saw two weeks ago at Páirc Uí Rinn against the green and gold. More of the same this weekend against Tyrone would be lovely.

That 2009 match would get you into the mood nicely for what is a big weekend for Cork football as they try and move onto the next step on the ladder. 

Scorers for Cork: D O’Connor 0-4 (0-3 f), D Goulding 1-1, C O’Neill, P Kelly, 0-2 each, P O’Neill, P Kerrigan, A O’Connor, F Goold 0-1 each.

Tyrone: S O’Neill 0-4 (0-1 f), O Mulligan 0-2, M Penrose, K Hughes, P Jordan, D Harte, R McMenamin 0-1 each.

CORK: A Quirke; R Carey, M Shields, A Lynch; N O’Leary, G Canty, J Miskella; A O’Connor, N Murphy; P Kerrigan, P O’Neill, P Kelly; D Goulding, C O’Neill, D O’Connor.

Subs: F Goold for D Goulding (58), J Hayes for P Kerrigan (60), M Cussen for D O’Connor (66), K O’Connor for N O’Leary (69), E Cadogan for J Miskella (71).

TYRONE: P McConnell; PJ Quinn, C Gormley, R McMenamin; D Harte, Justin McMahon, P Jordan; K Hughes, E McGinley; B Dooher, T McGuigan, Joe McMahon; M Penrose, Stephen O’Neill, O Mulligan.

Subs: B McGuigan for T McGuigan (h-t), S Cavanagh for E McGinley (46), Sean O’Neill for C Gormley (54), A Cassidy for B Dooher (54), C McCullagh for Joe McMahon (64).

Referee: John Bannon (Longford).