John O'Driscoll The first of this year's All-Ireland football semi-finals is a repeat of the 1990 decider with Cork taking on the Connacht champions Mayo in Croke Park on Sunday. Of course that final three years ago was at a time when Cork were at the height of their powers and in their fourth final on the trot. Veteran of these glory years for the rebels, while only 26 years of age now, is full-forward John O'Driscoll. At the start of this year's football campaign it seemed as if O'Driscoll was surplus to the Cork mentor's team requirements. He didn't feature in the county's opening two championship fixtures and he himself readily admits that his early season form wasn't quite up to scratch. "I didn't begin the year very well but I've improved my form since and I'm fairly pleased with my performances recently". But out of one man's tragedy comes another's opportunity and during the build up to the Munster final came the shocking news that star forward Larry Tompkins would miss the rest of the championship season due to severed cruciate ligaments. This was John O'Driscoll's big chance to reclaim his place on the Cork senior team and he knew he had to seize it with both hands before it slipped away again. He was duly picked at full-forward for the final clash in Semple Stadium against underdogs Tipperary and showed his selectors that their faith was justified, scoring three points in Cork's eight point victory over the Premier County. "I knew that the Munster final was my chance and fortunately things turned out well for me on the day. The injury to Larry Tompkins definitely did open the door for me but while I want to keep my place on the team I'd like to see him returning soon". That Munster final was one which claimed afterwards was too easy for Cork and that their eight point winning margin didn't reflect their superiority as a team. This Ballingeary man isn't so sure. "If Cork didn't have the start they did it could have been very different. We went eight points up early on but only ended up winning by eight so Tipp matched us for the remainder of the game. I know some of their players and I know they were disappointed with the start they made". John has great respect for the current Tipperary side. "We didn't treat Tipp lightly at all. I think great credit is due to them. They set out at the beginning of the year to get to the Munster final and they did so on merit." The advent of the open draw system in Munster football would seem to have heralded a new age for the traditionally "weaker" counties in the province with Limerick and Tipperary getting to the decider and Clare actually winning it. "It hasn't done Cork any favours since it started but I think it's fairer for those counties as it gives them an opportunity to reach the Munster final." John, however doesn't think that their success can be totally attributed to the new system. "It has had something to do with it but I honestly think that the standard of football in Munster has levelled out over the last few years". The Cork full-forward says that he personally would be in favour of the open draw being introduced on a national level but doesn't really think it will happen. "I think they could introduce it for a trail period but I don't think they will. There's a lot of importance and emphasis placed on the provincial championships". As well as the Tipperary game, O'Driscoll believes that his county has had a tough championship so far this year, having to play champions Clare and traditional rivals Kerry to qualify for the provincial final. "We have had three games and gone to the opposition's back yard for each of them so that made it a tough draw for us. But to be any good you have to beat everyone anyway so we wouldn't be complaining." After two years out in the cold as regards championship football, the Cork contingent are only too glad to back in the big time. "It's great to be back in top-class competitive football again and there's great enthusiasm in the camp". John himself broke onto the Cork senior panel in 1986, when he was just 18 years old. He had previously come up through the ranks at club and county level, starting while at school at Colaiste Iosagain, Ballyvourney in West Cork. While there, one of his coaches and a big influence on his future career was former star player and manager with Kerry, Mickey O'Sullivan. The college played in the Munster 'A' championships but never got any further than the semi-final. He played, and plays, his club football in his native Ballingeary. In 1984 John's skills came to the attention of the Cork minor selectors and he was picked on the team which lost to eventual All-Ireland finalists Tipperary by a point in the first round in Clonmel. The following year O'Driscoll was again on the minor team, playing in midfield, and they gained revenge on their Premier County counterparts, beating them in Pairc Ui Caoimh in the first round. However disappointment was to follow when they were overcome by Mayo in the All-Ireland final by three points. "That was very disappointing for a young team like us. The worst place to lose a match is in Croke Park in an All-Ireland final - that's the toughest of the lot". The natural progression for the Ballingeary man was the under-21 team and in 1986 he collected his first All-Ireland medal ("my first major success") when Cork beat Offaly by 13 points in the final. That year, 1986, was the year of John's first appearance on the Cork senior football team. It was also the year of the great Kerry team's last All-Ireland title, when they beat the Rebels by four points on their way. But the big breakthrough for Cork was to come the following year, when they finally broke the Kingdom's stranglehold on the province, ousting them by five points in the final after a replay. However they ended up being beaten by Meath in the All-Ireland final by five points and again in the following year's final by one point in a replay. In 1989, the men from the Lee finally bridged their All-Ireland gap, outscoring Mayo by two points in the final to take their first title in 16 years. The following year they reached their fourth All-Ireland final in succession and beat old adversaries Meath in the final, completing an historic football/hurling double. So following these great years, it came as a blow to John O'Driscoll and Cork to go out of the championship at the first hurdle, to Kerry, in both 1991 and 1992. "In 1991 when we lost we knew we would have an easy summer but in 1992 it was very disappointing and it's great to be back now. There's great competition for team places what with the new blood coming along into the panel". The rebels are now looking forward to Sunday's semi-final clash with Mayo in what should be an intriguing contest. Many of the pundits have practically written off the Connacht champions as potential challengers for All-Ireland honours this year, saying that the standard of football west of the Shannon isn't on a par with the rest of the country anymore but down in Cork they're too clever too fall for this and become complacent about such an important match. "It's very hard to judge the standard from the Connacht final because of the wind that was there - it destroyed the game as a contest. Mayo are a very consistent team and they all showed great courage under pressure to beat Roscommon in Roscommon". The Kerry hero Jack O'Shea has had an important bearing on the form of the men from Mayo this year. "He's handled them very well from the start and has made them into a good team". Apart from chasing further All-Ireland glory, John is still involved in the club scene down in Cork. His own club, Ballingeary play at junior level but have been beaten in the local championship. But apart from this, he plays on a local group team, Muskerry, who beat Bishopstown in the county senior quarter-final last Sunday with John himself scoring an impressive 1-10, and now come up against the formidable Nemo Rangers are one of the best club teams in the country but I hope that we will be there or thereabouts. We have some very good players but we find it difficult to come together to train as our own clubs must come first". One of the highlights in the career of this West Cork man came in 1986, when, as a virtual unknown, he was selected by Kevin Heffernan to take part in the compromise rules series in Australia. "That was a great experience. I wasn't sure if I would even be selected but things went very well for me and I suppose it was a kind of launching pad for my career". A bank official in the Bank of Ireland in Macroom, John was to get another taste of life down under when he went on tour with a panel of players from the banks and played various matches against emigrant teams there, under the guidance of current Tipperary team manager Seamus McCarthy. He doesn't find it too difficult to fit in his training with his job but says that work must come first. "It's all a part of playing the game. You just have to adapt to it". Hogan Stand Magazine 13/08 /93 Tweet

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