The rains may have come to end the summer but the flame still burns brightly for Cork hurling as a small but loyal and madly passionate crowd turned out on Leeside last night to welcome home the defeated hurlers.

A wretched evening and a time clash with Cork ladies playing in Croke Park may have conspired to keep the crowd to 3,000 people but those who did turn up heard Jimmy Barry-Murphy pledge they would be back with the Liam MacCarthy Cup.

Summer 'lit up'
Lord Mayor of Cork Catherine Clancy set the tone for the evening, remarking that the weather might have been miserable but this Cork team under coach Jimmy Barry-Murphy had lit up a marvellous summer of hurling for Cork fans.

Looking as trim and as true as that day, exactly 40 years ago, when he stuck the ball in the Galway net to help bring Sam Maguire back to Cork, JBM was as dignified and graceful as ever.

"I want to thank our players who have been fantastic all the year, outstanding, led by a wonderful captain Patrick Cronin, who has been a credit to the county and an inspirational captain to these players as well.

“Finally, I want to thank our supporters who for the whole year, right throughout the summer, even when things were going against us, gave us massive support all through the campaign right up to Croke Park yesterday.

“And I know, on behalf of the lads, we are just so disappointed that we didn’t have the cup here for ye tonight but let me assure you that all of these young men will be back here in the near future with the Liam MacCarthy Cup – I’ll guarantee ye that.”