Fifteen years ago this October, UCC pulled off the remarkable. Sigerson Cup winners in March, they were Cork senior football champions by mid-October. It was their first county title since 1999 secured. Their tenth in all.
And it was anything but a straightforward campaign.
It began at Cloughduv in late April, UCC against Carbery. And it even almost ended there. They led by five with time almost up. A penalty hauled Carbery level. Extra time that nobody wanted would follow.
What saved them was Johnny Buckley. The Dr Crokes midfielder climbed highest under pressure, the move ended with Paul Geaney landing the equaliser, and in the additional period UCC outscored their opponents five points to two to survive.
They had been in serious…