Resurgent Cork won their first All-Ireland football title since 1990 with a one point comeback win over Down at an emotion-filled Croke Park. After so many setbacks, disappointments and false dawns, the Rebels finally got their hands on Sam (Sam Maguire Cup) once again, but they had to dig deep into their reserves of courage and self-belief to see off the Mourne men.
Down led by 0-8 to 0-5 at half-time, but the Rebels turned on the style in the second period, and an eight points tally from Goulding and five from O’Connor helped them over the finish line as they inflicted a first ever Sam Maguire Cup final defeat on the Mourne Men.
Cork have put an end to their unenviable record of losing All-Ireland football finals with the most dramatic and narrowest of victories in Croke Park. The one-point margin reflected what was a tense and tight battle throughout, but in the end Cork proved deserving winners to inflict a painful defeat on Down, who had set the pace for long periods.
Cork 0-16
Down 0-15:
Friendly Sons of Saint Patrick members Barry Flynn and Jason Donovan (co-owners of the highly popular Irish bar “Hibernia” on William Street, New Bedford) traveled to Dublin’s Croke Park to lend support to their hometown Cork team.
Portions of this story was excerpted from RTE.ie and the IrishTimes.ie
Cork VS Down All Ireland Football Final 2010
All Ireland Football Final 2010 Cork v Down Pre-Game