Cork GAA chairman Pat Horgan: Until such time as we have Liam MacCarthy, we won't be truly satisfied

Cork GAA chairman Pat Horgan feels the Rebels are continuing to make progress in both codes despite another year of frustration.

The senior hurlers, despite winning the Division 1A league and Munster title, lost the All-Ireland final for the second season on the trot.

The senior footballers finished fifth in Division 2 before losing to Kerry in the Munster semi-final after extra-time. John Cleary’s side later lost to Dublin in the All-Ireland preliminary quarter-final.

“Look, there’s no doubt we’re continuing to make strides,” the Midleton clubman says to The Echo prior to the departure of Niall O'Halloran as Cork senior hurling coach.

“Winning the National League and the Munster Championship were noteworthy for our senior hurlers this year. But the big prize has still eluded us and I’m sure that the new management under Ben O’Connor will be making every effort to get back there again and try and get over the line.

“Until such time as we have Liam MacCarthy down here, I suppose we won’t be truly satisfied. And you’ll also have to commend our footballers for the efforts that they have made this year. It was a very difficult Division 2.

“We’d love to have come out of it, but surviving in it was noteworthy as well because of the tough assignments that were there. So look, we’d love to see a bit more improvement in that regard next year, but it’s not from the want of effort. The lads involved, John Cleary and his backroom and the players, are putting in a huge effort.

“We’re looking forward now to 2026 and to see if we can get improvement from all our teams. We have appointed all our managers. It takes a phenomenal effort to get the teams ready and to win something is just extra, extra special.

“There can only be one winner in hurling and one winner in football and everybody is making incredible strides to get there.” 

Horgan feels that the Cork hurlers are still on the right path despite the second-half malfunction in the All-Ireland final against Tipperary. Pat Ryan has since departed after three seasons at the helm.

“Pat Ryan and his group had done phenomenal work over the last three years and they had brought the county on a ton.

“But look, we’ll be hoping now that with a small bit of luck that our new manager Ben O’Connor might just get us over the line. We all know what Ben was like as a player and he has been very successful as a coach with club teams.” 

The clear goal right now regarding the Cork footballers is obvious. The championship would be an afterthought right now with the objective of promotion to Division 1 the priority. The Leesiders haven’t been there since being relegated in 2016.

“From a personal point of view, to get out of Division 2 and into Division 1, it would mean so much to Cork football.

“While winning the championship is the ultimate prize, I think to get out of Division 2 for Cork would be phenomenal if we could achieve it. That’s the target now that Cork have to achieve. It’s not going to be easy.”