The stewards surrendered. On both terraces the sluice gates opened and, in a flash flood, thousands of young people ran to the centre of the field.
The Frank and Walters were blaring over the public address and red smoke billowed from a couple of rogue flares. In the league, gratification is always postponed. It doesn’t have that emotional range. For a short while it forgot itself.
Cork, with a 3-24 to 0-23 win over Tipperary, claimed their first National League since 1998, having navigated the last couple of months with a blend of concentration and foresight.
Their panel is deeper now than it has been at any time under Pat Ryan, or under any Cork manager since John Allen. Everybody makes their own deal with the league; after the pain of the All-Ireland final last July, Cork couldn’t afford to wait until Easter Sunday in Ennis for a gut check.
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They were devastating for 20 minutes before half-time, killing the spectacle and the contest with one sling shot. The teams were level for the last time after 19 minutes; 10 minutes later Cork were winning by double scores. By the break the margin was 13 points. The second half was like the last hand in a game of 45 when everyone knows who has the five, but the worthless cards must still be played.
As the teams walked off the field at half time, Just Can’t Get Enough by Depeche Mode came over the public address. Just then, it was the definition of mood music.
One of the oldest fears in the league is overexposure. Nobody wants to reach the championship with nothing new to show or tell. If Cork were ever concerned about that they gave up worrying weeks ago.
Goals are Cork’s adrenalin gland. When these teams met in Thurles in February Cork created six goal chances and took just one; this time they were clinical when they needed to be.
Afterwards Liam Cahill bemoaned Tipp’s failure to create a goal chance worthy of the name, but it also reflected a shift in Cork. While the spotlight has fallen on Cork’s heavy scoring, the most significant improvements have been at the other end of the field.
In Thurles, Tipp repeatedly cut Cork through the middle and support runners went untracked. Yesterday, Cork smothered Tipp with the ferocity of their tackling. When he was asked about the difference in power between the teams Cahill refused to accept the point, even though it is obvious and undeniable.
Sam O’Farrell, a terrific young player who is still eligible for under 20, was twice hunted down and turned over by a pack of tacklers as he headed towards the Cork D. All-court defending, from front to back, had been Cork’s greatest weakness for many years, and it was the biggest challenge that Pat Ryan inherited.
It is no longer a problem. The bite and aggression in Cork’s tackling is on a par with Limerick and Clare now. Until they reached that parity, they had no prospect of winning an All-Ireland.
The bookies will make them favourites now. It is an age-old affliction for league winners. Betting is riddled with recency bias. Ryan immediately described the second-half performance as “the worst” since he took over, which in part reflected his frustration. In greater part, though, it reflected his desire to distance himself from the inevitable hype. It will spread like gas now; they will need masks.
When Cork were on fire, though, their inside forwards were unmarkable. It is only a fortnight since Brian Hayes hobbled off the field with a knee injury that seemed to threaten his season, but his pivotal importance to Cork was underscored again. Close to goal, Hayes is the playmaker.
Even though he didn’t land his only point until 15 minutes into the second half, he had played the scoring pass for 1-2 by then and had played a central part in another of Cork’s goals. For many years, the first ball into the Cork full-forward line was directed at Patrick Horgan; if he won it, his first thought was a shot, and he rarely had second thoughts.
Now, Hayes is the primary target. From that source, Cork’s forward play has variety and menace. He has the athleticism to take on his man, and the calmness to make a pass. Cork have other big men in their forward line, and players with more explosiveness, but he is the fulcrum of their attack now.
Alongside him, Alan Connolly scored his first goal for Cork since these teams met in the championship last May. Every time he got the ball there was a surge of electricity in the crowd. He was bullish and direct and silky and cocky and after a league campaign reduced by injury, he had something to prove. Connolly finished the game with 1-2 and a handful of other possessions that were spoiled by selfishness. Ryan was quick to say that Cork had many things to tidy up. The league has no greater purpose.
About a dozen Tipperary players stood on the pitch for the trophy presentation, marooned in a sea of Cork supporters. They will be back here in three weeks. Different world.
