All-Ireland SFC: Tyrone 1-18 Cork 0-17 Cork found themselves in unfamiliar territory and were unable to capitalise. Cork are now back in familiar territory and have no choice but to capitalise. Taking off for Tullamore on Saturday, the road ahead was speckled with opportunity.
Pole position in Group 3, a fortnight’s reprieve from knockout fare, and a last-eight draw that steered clear of the Sam Maguire frontrunners. All of it within Cork’s reach. Turning out of Tullamore that evening, their new reality bit hard.
Hope had turned to familiar hardship. Instead of a negotiable path to a first All-Ireland semi-final in 12 years, they were staring at the unpalatable reality of a one-week turnaround to a preliminary quarter-final assignment in either Armagh, Castlebar, or whatever venue Louth nominate. Cork’s new reality, though, is not new at all.
The task of picking themselves up from a self-inflicted defeat and having to win away from home next time out to save their season is old hat for this Cork group. In 2022, Cork travelled to Tullamore on the final day of the league. They required a result to preserve their Division 2 status and stave off the spectre of Tailteann Cup involvement.
They got the job done. In 2023, they travelled to Navan for their Sam Maguire opener against Louth. They did so off the back of an utterly deflating Munster quarter-final defeat to Clare.
They travelled knowing Louth was their outstanding shot at two points and progression from a group that .