Pictures: Meabh ‘proud’ of team as they are welcomed home by thousands of supporters

The scenes on Grand Parade captured what this All-Ireland camogie title meant to Cork players and fans as the team were welcomed home to Leeside.

Just 12 months after enduring the agony of defeat to Galway, captain Meabh Cahalane stood before a sea of red and white, the O’Duffy Cup in her hands, as she and her teammates celebrated with more than 4,000 supporters who had come to welcome them home.

The St Finbarr’s defender admitted the contrast with last year’s journey home from Croke Park could not have been more stark.

“It’s just the difference between winning and losing,” Meabh said.

“After coming down from Dublin last year, it was a long road home and facing into, I suppose, a long winter. To have the chance to get back there, we just didn’t take it for granted. We knew it was going to take everything and more to get over Galway.

“Those two goals really stood to us. I think they were the difference, and we just felt that if we didn’t concede a goal coming down the home stretch that it would put us in a good position.

“I think we had everyone on the edge of their seats and giving people heart attacks, but that’s just the nature of the game. When it is Cork and Galway, it always goes down to the wire, and we’re just happy to come out on the right side of it.”

The win sparked emotional scenes at Croke Park on Sunday, and those celebrations continued tonight as thousands packed the city centre to salute Cork’s latest All-Ireland winners.

For Meabh, the support the team has received throughout the championship has been one of the most rewarding aspects of the journey.

“All year, I feel like since the championship started, the crowds have grown.

“Even the last day above in Thurles after we beat Tipp in the semi-final, the crowds that came on to the pitch afterwards, I couldn’t believe it. I’d never seen that in a semi-final before.

“On Sunday, you could hear them just get behind us when we went ahead, and we really needed that.

“To see them and so many young girls and boys out in their red and white, it’s just so special to see. There are so many role models in the group, and if they can inspire any of these girls or boys to pick up a hurley and start playing, they’ve done their job.”

Cork’s championship campaign was far from straightforward. Following early-season setbacks, many outside the panel questioned whether they could challenge for the All-Ireland. Cahalane believes the management team deserves enormous credit for ensuring belief never wavered within the camp.

“I think management have to take huge credit for that.

“There were times during the year when we didn’t believe in ourselves, and they did. They still felt that we had the best collective team and collective panel in the country.

“Ger Manley, (manager) in fairness to him, always instilled confidence in us every time we put on a Cork jersey. He backed us. Above in Galway before the first championship game, Gemma (O'Connor, selector) spoke to us before we went out of the dressing room, and I think it just hit us.

“After that, we just didn't look back. We felt that we had put ourselves in a good position to maybe go the direct route and qualify straight for a semi-final, and once you're there, all you want to do is get back to the final.”

Many supporters have described this latest triumph as Cork's sweetest All-Ireland title, and while Cahalane acknowledged it is difficult to compare victories, she admitted this one carries a special significance.

“I think so. I don't know is it because I'm a bit older now or because, from the outset, as you said, during the year, it probably wasn't looking so pretty, and we were trying to rebuild.

“I've said it many times over the last number of days, we're only cogs in the wheel at the moment for Cork camogie. There have been such good teams before us, and there will be great teams after us.

“We're just so lucky to have this opportunity. We took it with both hands yesterday, and we just wanted to put in a performance worthy of getting a result.

“I'm so proud of each and every one of those girls. I know how hard we trained this year. It was something I've never seen before. Huge credit to them.

“We will enjoy this celebration for a few days now,” she said.