Ian Maguire: 'It was a serious occasion on multiple fronts'

Click here to listen to the interview with Cork footballer Ian Maguire.

By Cian O'Connell

For several reasons, attaining Allianz Football League Division One status mattered deeply to Cork captain Ian Maguire.

The accomplished St Finbarr's midfielder remains an influential figure in John Cleary's panel. During more than a decade on the inter-county beat valuable lessons have been learned.

Enjoying and embracing the good days. So, Maguire was satisfied when Cork accomplished the promotion mission defeating Tyrone in Omagh. "It was a serious occasion on multiple fronts," Maguire says.

"Obviously, we got relegated in 2016, and it has been a long journey back, going from Division Three, getting back into Division Two, and fighting for Sam Maguire status and a lot of other things.

"To finally have that push this year to Division One, it has been an incredible journey with plenty of ups and downs, but from a Cork football perspective, it is just brilliant to be back in the top tier of league football.

"Both, in the moment it is brilliant, and going forward it has given us a good launchpad for next year."

Maintaining the standards set and being consistent is what Maguire hopes Cork can do in the future, similar to a previous era. "I can remember Cork winning Division Two in 2009, I think, if my history is correct, and then going on to win the three in a row in Division One with the leagues, that being such a great launchpad for that great team," Maguire recalls.

"For ourselves, with Division One it is so competitive, no different to Division Two, it has been unbelievably competitive, the stakes are so high with the Sam Maguire-Tailteann Cup stipulations.

"That Division One, the level of competition that is there, is huge going forward. Then, it is playing different teams, Kerry, who're the All-Ireland champions, Armagh, Galway etc.

"It is great to be back at the top table. It has been well earned. The challenge for us going into next year is maintaining that status. It is short term success with long term gain going into next year."

A heavy defeat away to Derry was a setback, but Cork responded impressively overcoming Kildare and Tyrone in the closing two rounds. "It is very rare a team goes unbeaten in any of the leagues," Maguire says.

"So, you know you're not going to be rocking a 10 out of 10 performance, and a perfect unblemished win record. We were ultimately disappointed with our performance against Derry, but in the overall scheme of things, we lost two points, it wasn't the end of the world.

"We were disappointed with our performance, but we've shown plenty of resilience over the years, and we bounced back straightaway. There was a gap, but we bounced back straightaway with a good performance against Kildare.

"One of the narratives around the group in the last few years, is we've that up and down tendency. Win one, lose one. The fact we were consistently winning games, back to back was huge for the group, just for our own psychological perspective, too."

A stirring opening weekend win over Cavan was hugely significant according to Maguire. "I can't underestimate the importance of that first day out for us at Páirc Uí Chaoimh against Cavan," he says.

"It was a tight game, you don't want to say we pulled it out of the fire, but we made enough good plays to win that game. You compare it to Cavan, who've just been on the wrong end of a couple of close calls. Having that early momentum was huge for us, and it shows how competitive Division Two is.

"Even looking towards Sunday, we've had great battles with Meath over the last couple of years. It is going to be a great battle on Sunday."

Maguire highlights the emergence of talented players, who starred at minor and U20 level. "You've two teams there, 2019 Cork minor and U20s group - so, you've two All-Ireland winning teams, that is the backbone of the team," Maguire says.

"You've a couple of experienced players, that have been there or thereabouts in the last couple of years, and your leaders like Brian Hurley, Brian O'Driscoll, Ruairi Deane, and Micheal Martin. You've winning players in the dressing room, and the depth has been built by John Cleary over the last three or four years.

"If you're looking at the club championship, players like David Buckley have really put their hand up. We've been building that strength. It's a tricky one, we've had some big wins over the last couple of years, and those wins propel you into the following year.

"We've different players putting their hands up. Our depth has really been seen this year with a couple of injuries, but also the league is a marathon, and you need your 20-26 players, and we've shown that this year, different times players have put their hand up.

"You've Micheal Martin and Pa Doyle, Sean Brady and Sean Meehan, different players have come in at different times. That has been our motto all year, next man up."

On the line, John Cleary, a totemic figure for Castlehaven and Cork, continues to supply the drive and inspiration. "If anybody is at a game, they can see that passion coming out in leaps and bounds, left and right," Maguire says.

"John is an incredible man, what he's achieved as a player and a manager. Some of the team had him with Cork U21 and him being a Castlehaven man with a couple of the lads there, John lives and breathes Cork.

"He wears it on his sleeve, and we revel around him. He's a terrific leader and a terrific manager. He's done a superb job in the last couple of years, taking it from where we were which was a tough position in 2022, potentially facing Tailteann Cup to where we are now.

"It has been a long journey, but he has guided us through that. I can't speak highly enough about the man. It will be no different on Sunday, there will be effing and blinding, hats flying, that is just the way he is - a passionate man.

"That feeds into us on the pitch, too - heart on the sleeve stuff. Bringing back to Sunday in Tyrone, we were willing to die for that promotion, that really comes from John."

The manner in which that Cleary has added to his set-up is commendable. "John has done a terrific job in adding to the management team every year," Maguire replies.

"Just from Kevin Walsh, himself, he's a terrific coach, he has introduced things, you think you know something, a new voice comes in, and you've a completely different perspective on it. Kevin Walsh has done that for us, introducing new and different styles. I know he's written a book, but we've learned plenty from him.

"You feel like you're learning every year, and the rules have played a factor in that under this management team. You've to learn and adapt, Kevin Walsh has been brilliant for me as a player, but he has also been brilliant for the team.

"He's a terrific coach, his CV backs that up with both Galway and Sligo anyway outside of his own accomplishments as a player. The same can be said for Jim O'Donoghue, Barry Corkery, Kevin Murray now this year.

"John has done a brilliant job adding every year, freshening things up. We feel like we've improved year on year. Now, we've had setbacks, but John always takes a new approach every year, and I feel we're reaping the rewards this year with the promotion."

Growing up Maguire received a formidable sporting education with the Barrs. "Being from Togher, playing for the Barrs, when you're younger you don't have a clue what you're doing, you're running around kicking around, but as you grow older you understand the tradition and the calibre of player that is in the club on a day to day basis," Maguire reflects.

"I was lucky enough growing up to be under the tutelage of Mick Cummins, who'd have taken my own personal age, and brought us all the way up.

"I was lucky enough to play alongside Michael Shields, who was one of the most accomplished Cork players - a captain, leader, and I owe so much to him in terms of what I learned as a player and even from a leadership perspective as a captain. I can't thank him enough. That history is something we're very proud of, and we tried to translate with recent success in both football and hurling.

"There has been a terrific culture we've built, and we were a bit unlucky against Dingle. Every year the Cork Championship is so competitive, Nemo are no different, our neighbours across the way, Castlehaven, there is a good football tradition at club and county level.

"Having the likes of JBM involved was unreal, learning from past legends. I'd have played senior hurling years ago, one of the people involved was Christy Ryan, he is one of the most decorated club players of all time. You almost feel you need to add to that tradition as a player."

Maguire is doing that alongside his pal Steven Sherlock, who made a welcome return to the Cork fold for 2026. Helping out coaching with underage teams is part of the remit, Sherlock trained the U16s last year, and Maguire assists with the U15s when able.
"That is something brought in during the last few years, and it is great," Maguire says.

"My own time, when I was a minor I remember Ross O'Dwyer was full back for the senior team, and he was one of the coaches. That is how it has worked in the Barrs for the last couple of years."

Sherlock's return has been a boost, too. "Steven is a super player, he has been unbelievable for the club, and he has had plenty of good days with Cork before this year," Maguire remarks.

"He stepped aside last year, he has been a brilliant addition this year. Anybody who knows Steve, he's almost as valuable on the pitch as he is off the pitch in terms of the dressing room. The new rules have been so beneficial for a lot of counties and the game itself. A player as skilful and talented as Steve, being able to see him flourish under the new rules is brilliant."

Practice makes perfect. "Steve works as hard as anyone, he has really worked hard to put himself in the position he's in now," Maguire adds. "It is great to see how brilliant he's playing at the moment, but even with the club last year, he was our captain, he was incredible.

"The amount of work he puts in terms of his kicking, I see it first hand being a good friend of his. People see the easy part, putting the ball over the bar on a Sunday, but the level of work that man puts in is incredible. I can't speak highly enough about his work rate. Furthermore, his passion for the game is incredible."

Maguire's drive and desire is inspiring club and county, too. Another trip to GAA headquarters beckons on Sunday.