Seán O'Donoghue: Being the captain is special, I always knew I had it in me

Seán O’Donoghue can feel the hand of history on his shoulder, driving him and Cork towards that elusive All-Ireland title.

The Inniscarra player will become the first man from the Rebel County since Seán Óg Ó hAilpín to lift the Liam MacCarthy Cup if the Leesiders can get the better of Clare in the All-Ireland SHC final on Sunday in Croke Park at 3.30pm.

It has been some rollercoaster of a campaign for Pat Ryan’s charges, from being on the ropes in May to potentially being the kings of Ireland in July. The fans feel connected to this current crop of players shown by approximately 50,000 Cork fans roaring them on in the All-Ireland semi-final victory over Limerick in Croker 12 days ago.

“It’s all about that team winning mentality, it’s not about man-of-the-match awards, All-Stars or anything like that,” O’Donoghue says.

“It’s all about getting the team over the line and everyone just doing their job for the team. We have grown stronger as the season has gone on and everyone is putting a shift in. There’s huge competition for places. All those things have made a difference.” 

BACKS AGAINST THE WALL

Cork’s championship season was hanging by a thread after suffering defeats in their first two Munster championship round-robin games. With the walls seemingly closing in and no light at the end of the tunnel, it was a test of O’Donoghue’s captaincy skills. A suttle change has worked wonders. 

“The feeling in the camp was that we didn’t really perform and didn’t get the best out of ourselves against Waterford the first day out,” the corner-back said.

“We then improved an awful lot against Clare but we still didn’t get it right. Whether that was players in different positions or decisions going against us, there the things that can happen in a game. It was backs against the wall then against Limerick down the Páirc and we just had to give it 110% and that is what we did. We never had any fear of Limerick this year.

“It has been a change of mentality if anything else. We knew we had it in the locker and it was a case of pulling it out of ourselves. We had the ability to beat Waterford and Clare and we didn’t. We had to beat Limerick and thankfully everything has worked out well since.” 

The Cork support have always been behind the Rebels but there has been an increase in support at games in 2024. The fans crave for success and nothing will satisfy them more than Cork winning the Liam MacCarthy Cup. O’Donoghue has no doubt in his mind that the supporters have helped the team reach the big day on Sunday. One more huge push against Clare.

“The more we improve, the better we play, the more the crowd comes into it,” he says.

“Over the course of the season, the fans have been brilliant. Selling out Páirc Uí Chaoimh, going up to Thurles, they have been phenomenal. If we play to the best that we can, we have no doubt that we can beat anyone in the country, especially with the fans behind us. It’s going to be a titanic battle against Clare, two Munster teams. 

You see how the Munster championship games go. Anyone can beat anyone. There has to be a huge focus on ourselves and our performance.” 

O’Donoghue leads the Cork hurlers into battle on Sunday on what is the biggest sporting day on this great island. A chance to write themselves into the history books.

“Growing up watching Cork, all I wanted to do was to be a Cork hurler,” he says.

“I was lucky enough to get that chance at minor and U21 level. I was lucky enough to get called up to the senior panel for winter training in 2015. Being captain is a special achievement. I always knew I had it in me but I just had to get it out of myself. I have been trying to develop other parts to my game as the years have gone on.

Being captain isn’t for everyone, others mightn’t want it. Some fellas might feel pressure but I just go with it. As a group, there are a lot of leaders anyway.” 

19 years of hurt could come to an end on Sunday. It would be massive for Cork in general.

“We as a team had a chance to win the All-Ireland in 2021 but just didn’t show up so we have given ourselves another opportunity now. Family and friends see you leaving at 5pm for training and we aren't home until 10pm, four days a week. They know what you’re putting into it so it’s huge for them and for us.”