EOIN CADOGAN believes hurling is the golden child in Cork — and football is the black sheep.
The Douglas clubman, 38, lined out for the Rebels in both codes at minor, Under-21 and senior level across an inter-county career that finished up in 2021.
Cadogan was a dual player when his county sealed All-Ireland SFC glory in 2010 and shared the love between both sports until 2017, when he focused on the sliotar for good.
But the talented Gael never lifted Liam MacCarthy and their 2021 All-Ireland final defeat to Limerick was his final appearance for Cork.
The Rebels lost last year’s decider to Clare after extra-time but an NHL final beckons if they beat Galway tonight at Páirc Uí Chaoimh — and the Leeside faithful will turn out in their thousands to roar them on.
John Cleary’s footballers are in a different boat.
They are languishing in fifth in NFL Division 2 and need a point in Cavan tomorrow to avoid relegation.
Páirc Uí Chaoimh hosted a hurling and football double-header three weeks ago as Ryan’s men gunned down Kilkenny in style before Roscommon romped to an 11-point win against Cleary’s side.
The official attendance was clocked at 22,193.
But by the time the football threw in, most of those supporters were gone.
Cork’s low position in the second tier could mean Tailteann Cup football if they fail to reach a provincial final, and they are on a Munster semi-final collision course with Kerry.
Cadogan understands only one team gets all the love no matter how things are going on the pitch, but insists the footballers should be playing for Sam Maguire nonetheless.
He said: “Every year there’s optimism, but there’s much more optimism probably from a hurling perspective than football — and that was the case when we were winning football All-Irelands and the hurlers weren’t, so you’ve got to reference those things too.
“John Hayes recently referenced that we won the All-Ireland in 2010, our first league game in 2011, there were 3,000 people there as All-Ireland champions.
“So it’s never been a case where we’ve had thousands of followers or thousands of people there supporting us.
“The negative narrative is very easily jumped on when it comes to Cork football.
“We were competing in All-Ireland finals in 2007, 2009, 2010, and it still wasn’t considered good enough by some people outside of Cork. We won multiple league titles during that time.
“Again, we underachieved. It wasn’t good enough, so it very much depends on your narrative.
“I’m sure the players and the management are doing everything they can.
“The reality is that’s where we’re at right now and the ambition should be to maintain our status in the Sam Maguire and then see where that takes us.
“I think that playing in the Sam Maguire is invaluable for those guys.
“It’s incredibly important for Cork football to be there.”
GIVING IT EVERYTHING
Cadogan squeezed every inch out of his inter-county career whether it was it was small ball or big ball.
By his own admission, he never rated himself as top class in either code but knew a relentless will to work hard would reap the rewards. Cadogan walked away content that he gave it everything from start to finish.
And he still has a front-row seat to the action with his work as a GAA analyst for BoyleSports and GAAGO — which is now GAA+.
He admitted: “I’ve actually really enjoyed it. I suppose I dived into the coaching side of things at club level and I really enjoyed that aspect of it.
“I think that young players in particular, all they’re looking for is a bit of guidance in terms of trying to get the best out of themselves.
“A lot of players don’t typically know what that looks like or what that takes to actually get the most out of yourself.
“I’d like to think that I squeezed a lemon in terms of my own career.
“A very limited hurler and footballer, but maxed out on trying to get the best out of myself by doing the simple things well and sometimes the simple things work. I’ve really enjoyed the coaching side of things. I love being, from a punditry perspective, on the sideline looking at the best players in the game.
“They’re in the best physical shape of their lives, and they won’t actually probably realise that until they’re out of it.
“You’re operating at 100 per cent of your capability when you’re an inter-county player.
“I think that’s just an incredible way to live your life, I think it’s an incredible way to be able to express yourself.”
LOOKING BACK
Cadogan, whose brother Alan also lined out for the Cork hurlers, has plenty of time for reflection now.
Memories come flooding back with every trip to Croke Park and he has a deep appreciation for where it all began at club level with Douglas.
Running out at GAA HQ one more time would have meant the world but the gratitude he has for representing his county will never fade.
He said: “It’s not until you’re a little bit older and you look back on your career and you realise the importance of your club, your family, the opportunity that you got to play in Croke Park.
“You’re saying to yourself, even though you’re out of it three or four years, ‘Jesus Christ, I’d love to be playing inside there again. I’d love the opportunity to run out there’.
“Even when Cork and Clare ran out last year, the All-Ireland didn’t go well but at the end of the day in hurling and football, there can be only one winner out of the whole of Ireland.
“The buzz in Croke Park was different gravy.
“There’s nothing that will ever replace that.
“But as a spectator, to be that close to it, you get the same buzz because you know what the players are experiencing, that’s what makes our game special.”
l EOIN CADOGAN, former Dublin footballer Diarmuid Connolly, and ex-Armagh man Aaron Kernan are Gaelic Games ambassadors for BoyleSports. Get paid out early with BoyleSports if your team goes seven points ahead, even if they draw or lose.
