WITH the exception of Pat O'Neill and his, colleagues, Jim Brogan, Fran Ryder and Bobby Doyle, it's hard to think of a manager or, management team that, walked away from their greatest triumph and called if a day.

Consequently there shouldn't be that much surprise at the fact, that Cork's recently retired football manager, Billy Morgan stepped down at a time of some, disappointment within the county.

Nonetheless, to dwell on that or on the frustrating nature of the second half of his 10 years in charge would be to confuse him, with just any manager letting go when he felt he could do no more.

That would be a gross underestimation of him as well as an injustice. Morgan's departure marks the end of a more or less continuous involvement with the county's footballers of over 39 years - the amount of time since he made his debut with the Cork seniors - and the conclusion of one of the most influential careers in the history of the game.

During that period his contribution to football was immense.

Captain of the 1973 All Ireland champions, he went on to act as player coach to the National Football League champions of 1980 and then, after taking over as manager of the county's senior footballers 10 years ago this autumn, he went on to alter - in all likelihood forever the balance of footballing power within Munster.

Since 1986, the year of Kerry's last All Ireland, Cork have won seven of the 10 provincial titles on offer. This proportion reversed the patterns of over a century and on the basis of current projections, it looks unlikely that Kerry will ever again establish hegemony.

Morgan's intense commitment to the county was evident from early days. One contemporary recalled how, from the time he became part of the senior team, Morgan never left the country during the summer to find work even tough it was normal procedure for students to do so.

His maverick tendency was well established. From the days in the mid 1970s when Cork players protested over the make of jerseys they were to wear through the period when officialdom conspired to deprive him, firstly, of the player manager title his input clearly merited and secondly, of selectors status during his early years as manager, Morgan was seen as something of a troublemaker.

He did, however, have the a solute respect of his players was an accusation of being too close to the players and being responsible for misbehaviour on a weekend away that formed one of the planks in an exceedingly rickety platform constructed for his removal from office in 1991.

He survived the putsch as he survived most efforts to interfere with his stewardship of the team.

It would be wrong to say that he bears such vexations with resigned good humour. A difficult personality, he is never likely to navigate less turbulent routes around awkward problems and, although softly spoken, he almost glows with impatience at anything that irritates or annoys him.

As journalists know, he can bear grudges - sometimes for reasons that remain unclear - but for the most part he speaks his mind, providing you can find him. The sheer intensity he brought to bear on the job of managing distracted him, you felt, from any desire to put up a good front and spin the discs for the media.

That intensity was frequently and ironically, at odds with what many felt were occasional deficiencies of will power amongst his charges. The All Ireland final replay of 1988 when they lost to a Meath team that was a man short for virtually the entire 70 minutes is the most famous example.

Nonetheless, the football team that Morgan turned into the most successful in the county's history did gain some revenge when heating Meath in similar circumstances two years later when Colm O'Neill was sent off during the first half of the All Ireland final.

The current team would also have to count, to date, as a disappointment. Blessed with some great talent, they have failed to reach the top, an objective Morgan believed was well within their scope.

Injuries didn't help but failures of conviction have been more striking causes.

That he should be handing over to Larry Tompkins is appropriate. Bearing in mind Tompkins's huge role in the rise of, Cork, Morgan always regarded him as a key figure long alter injuries had begun to eat away at the real capacity of the player to contest championships.

Every spring, Morgan would be enthusiastically hopeful that Larry would make it for the summer, but it was a sadly infrequent event, in recent years. The 1990 captain's growing influence with the team was, however, plain to see last month when he gave the team their final instructions, before the Kerry match.

Kerry's county secretary, Tony O'Keeffe, once characterised Morgan's input as being the mobilisation of football in Cork City through his work with the club Nemo Rangers - and Kerry people, although back in the ascendancy this year, have had cause to observe Morgan more closely than anyone.

It's probably not a coincidence that Dinny Allen - who along with Cork's other dual soccer football star Dave Barry had inter county career resurrected by Morgan - has stepped down as manager of the Nemo seniors.

So we may in the future again see Billy Morgan tensed up and tight lipped patrolling the sideline, although on a smaller stage.

The beat goes on in Cork but, thanks to Morgan, the rhythm is now considerably different.

1986-87: In his first League campaign in charge, Morgan led Cork to promotion from the second division and a notorious quarter final against Dublin at the end of which Cork refused to come out for extra time and were deemed to have lost the match.

The summer brought better things as Kerry were dethroned in Munster after a replay - brought about by Tompkins's late free. An unimpressive All Ireland semifinal against Galway also ended level but a much improved replay performance saw Cork into a first All Ireland final in 14 years. After a good start, the team lost momentum and Meath ran out comfort able six point winners.

1987-88: The League went badly and Cork were relegated after only a season in Division One. The Munster title was, however, retained and after an easy win over Monaghan, Cork qualified for another All Ireland final against Meath. In a tense encounter, Cork started well but were hauled back to level terms by a disputed free from Brian Stafford. In the replay Gerry McEntee was sent off the Meath team after six minutes and Meath systematically fooled to offset the disadvantage before winning by a point.

1988-89: This was Morgan's most successful year. Cork returned to Division One and won the League, beating Dublin in the final. Once again, Kerry were defeated, in the Munster final clinching Cork's first three in a row of provincial titles. The All Ireland semi final saw the county's first championship win over Dublin, in a heated match during which John Cleary converted two penalties and Keith Barr was sent off. The final against Mayo was a loose marking affair and Cork took their first All Ireland title in 16 years.

1989-90: A great year for the county, with Cork's footballer complementing the hurlers to win the county's first All Ireland double in a hundred years. The League culminated in yet another bruising encounter with Meath ill the semi final which Meath won en route to winning the title. Later, that summer, Cork recorded an unprecedented fourth successive Monster title when humiliating Kerry in Pairc Ui Chaoimh by 15 points. Roscommon were accounted for in the All Ireland semi final (with Morgin sitting out a sideline suspension in the stand), and Meath were narrowly beaten in an eerie reversal of the 1988 final. Cork's Colm O Neill was sent off in the first halt but, inspired by Shea Fahy. Cork hung on for a two point win.

1990-91: Cork's League form was poor - Kerry had their first competitive win over them in three and a half years - and in the Monster semi final Cork went down to a defiant Kerry side who started the match rank outsiders.

That autumn, there was a bizarre attempt by county board officials to have Morgan ousted. After a protracted controversy he returned as manager with his hand strengthened.

1991-92: Cork had An erratic League campaign and the championship ended for them in May with a catastrophic defeat by Kerry in the first round of the Monster championship. Tompkins was a late withdrawal before the match due to, sunburn. Cork missed two penalties and lost by to points.

1992-93: In a season when the League was divided into four groups of mixed ability", Cork's performances left them in third position and, categorised as a second division team for the following year's resumption of a hierarchical League structure.

In the championship, Morgan's revamped team scored an impressive victory in Ennis over then Munster champions, Clare. Colin Corkery, on his championship debut, scored 2-5 and among the other newcomers was Ciaran O'Sullivan. Cork beat Kerry in the Munster semi final and a surprisingly strong Tipperary in the final.

Tompkins had, however, picked up an injury and his experience was to be badly missed. A 20 point romp past Mayo led to the All Ireland final where Derry were the opponents. Controversy erupted in the first half when referee Tommy Howard, erred in sending Anthony Davis to the line. Derry won by three points.

1993-94: Cork failed to improve their League status, losing their final match to Louth in Drogheda, but the championship was more promising. A Steven O'Brien inspired comeback snatched the initiative from Kerry at Pairc Ui Chaoimh. An off pitch argument between Morgan and Kerry selector Johnny Mulvihill broke out on the sideline, and revived that night in Morgan's pub.

Tipperary were beaten in the Munster final.

For the All Ireland semi final against Down, Cork were badly hit by injuries and some players were clearly not folly tit. Early on, Danny Culloty sustained a nasty wound in a clash of heads which necessitated his withdrawal. Down won comfortably.

1994-95: Once again, injuries undermined the promotion campaign in Division Two and again it was narrowly missed. The first Monster final against Kerry in five years ended in a three point win for Cork in Killarney. In the All Ireland semi final, despite a bright start and a good display from Mark O'Sullivan at corner forward, Cork lost to Dublin after conceding a match turning goal to Jason Sherlock.

Morgan was criticised for excessive loyalty to his established players alter bringing Shea Fahy off the bench as a wing forward and, in the aftermath, Morgan was said to have informed the players he was retiring. Later in the summer, he reconsidered - after representations from players and in the light of the new talent coming forward from the successful under 21 side of 1994 and agreed to a new two year appointment.

1995-96: The year started auspiciously with promotion to Division One and training sessions were reported to be well attended and serious minded, even before Christmas. An exciting League quarter final against Kerry ended in an extra time victory for Cork at Pairc Ui Chaoimh, although the team exited in the next round to Donegal.

Cork, had, a poor start, in the championship against Limerick, and in the Monster semi final in Ennis, Clare clawed back a draw. In the replay, it took extra time and an exceptional performance from Ciaran O'Sullivan to push Cork through. The Clare matches appeared to have thoroughly undermined the team's confidence and after an even enough affair at Pairc Ui Chaoimh, Kerry's greater enthusiasm brought them from behind in the closing, 10 minutes to win the Munster title.

After much speculation, Billy Morgan announced he was stepping down as Cork manager last Tuesday.