Pat Horgan: 'Promotion would be a big step forward for Cork football'

Cork GAA chairman Pat Horgan has underlined the significance of securing promotion to the Allianz Division 1 League as the county footballers prepare for a decisive showdown with Tyrone this weekend.

The Rebels face the Ulster side on Sunday at O’Neills Healy Park in Omagh (1.15pm). It’s the last game of the regular league campaign with Cork looking for a win or a draw to copperfasten their promotion to the top tier for the first time since 2016.

Horgan has been consistent in his view that Division 1 exposure is essential if Cork are to re-establish themselves among the country’s elite. He argues that regular games against the top sides accelerate development, sharpen standards, and ultimately raise expectations within the group.

Cork come into the big game on the back of victory last Saturday over Kildare at Páirc Uí Rinn. It was the second home game on the trot that the Rebels played at the Boreenmanna Road venue this year, a second successive victory.

“I was delighted for the players and the management, they’ve put a big effort in over the last few years and it has been difficult for them to go on a very good run,” Horgan says.

“There was a tremendous atmosphere there at Páirc Uí Rinn. The players performed well again there. It has worked successfully for them now for the last few games. We’d be hoping that the team would hopefully be able to get larger crowds to watch them, maybe to try and push for 12,000 to 15,000 to follow the footballers.

“If we could get that many followers, it would be great, it’s all about growing the crowd. Look, all I’ll say to you is that, you know, winning is everything.

“And once you get the players performing, I think you’ll get the public to come and watch.” 

The Cork GAA chairman has gone on record on several occasions in recent years regarding the importance of the Rebels playing in the top tier of the football League. Just one big step to come on Sunday.

“It would be great now if we could achieve Division 1 status, it would be a really big step forward for Cork football. They have been working extremely hard, John Cleary and Kevin Walsh and all the backroom team and the players, they’ve been putting in a big effort.

“And, you know, it’s nice now to see that they’re getting the rewards. The one thing about Division 2 is that everybody is trying to get into Division 1. Everybody is trying to advance.

“It’s the one division where everybody is going at it to earn promotion.

“If you want to perform at the highest level for the Sam Maguire, then you really have to be playing as high a grade in the league as possible.

“We have been stuck in Division 2 now for far too long, and we just need to get out of it. I think promotion would give the younger players quality games, real top quality games. It would bring them on a pile.”