Robert Downey says he hasn’t watched back last year’s All-Ireland final loss to Clare and has no intention of doing so.
Cork enjoyed a fine campaign, recovering after two early losses in the Munster championship to qualify for the All-Ireland final.
In between, they defeated Limerick twice, once in Páirc Uí Chaoimh and then in the All-Ireland semi-final in Croke Park, lighting up the summer.
They had a huge Cork following throughout their journey but ultimately came up short after a marathon battle with Clare that went down to the last puck of the ball in extra-time, with the Rebels coming up narrowly short.
The Cork captain Downey says he didn’t dwell on it, taking his mind off the loss by going straight back in with his clubs Glen Rovers (hurling) and St Nick’s (football.)
“It's hard really, you're gutted and you're devastated,” he says ahead of this weekend’s Allianz National hurling league final against Tipperary.
“You just go back with your club.
Robert Downey brings a moment of magic to hurling's biggest occasion
A sensational goal as he claims the puck out and runs through Clare's half to score
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“For me anyway, I just went back with my club as fast as I could.
“I didn't really want any hanging around or anything like that.
“I think playing with the Glen is probably the most enjoyable time I have anyway playing hurling.
“I'm not speaking for Eoin (Downey) and Patrick (Horgan) but I think they would probably say the same.
“For me it was just about getting back up on the horse as fast as you could. You're not going to forget about it but it definitely does take...you know, your mind needs to focus on something else,” he says.
Downey scored a wonder goal in the final, carrying the ball up the left wing before rattling the net, bringing the crowd to their feet. But not even that would convince him to watch the game back, and he believes that fine margins decided it on the day.
“I haven't watched the match back and I have no intentions of watching it back either.
“When you're there and you're on the pitch and there's so many things going on, you're focused on the man or the ball, like, it's probably guys like you (media) who are watching it and are probably noticing more than us.
“The bounce of a ball maybe (was the difference), a ball being kicked out a ruck that went to a Clare fella and they put it over the bar.
“It's small margins like that,” he reflects.
1 November 2024; Cork hurlers and brothers Robert, left, and Eoin Downey with their PwC GAA/GPA All-Star Awards during the 2024 PwC GAA/GPA All-Star Awards at the RDS in Dublin. Photo by Sam Barnes/Sportsfile
“Maybe a small bit of luck comes into it too. I'm not saying Clare were lucky because they were fully deserved of their victory on the day. It's hard to read into games like that.”
Downey and his younger brother Eoin won All-Stars as centre back and full back last year and he says a childhood of hurling in Glen Rovers gave them a great platform in the game.
“The Glen would have been where we hung around every day after school, every day all day during the summer. The fellas from the Glen are the fellas who are my best friends now obviously from playing with them the whole way up.
“When we were younger that's what we did in the summer time, we were down the Glen going to every match that was on and hanging around down the Glen field all day, every day, messing around and playing hurling, it was a dream really.
“My Mam's two brothers would have played with the Glen.
“One of her brothers would have played senior with the Glen.
11 May 2024; Robert Downey of Cork celebrates with his mother Angela after the Munster GAA Hurling Senior Championship Round 3 match between Cork and Limerick at SuperValu Páirc Ui Chaoimh in Cork. Photo by Daire Brennan/Sportsfile
“My Dad would be more soccer. His brother played soccer and stuff. Sport is definitely always spoken around the table but, ah, we try to keep it outside really. There's lots of other things going on in other people's lives.
“My Mam wouldn't be slow about telling us to shut up if we were constantly talking about hurling. Ah no, we're a hurling mad family, we've a sporting mad family.
"I've another brother as well, Tom, he's between myself and Eoin. He plays as well for the Glen. I suppose me and Eoin are probably always talking about hurling and training and this and that and other small things.
"We were in Christians primary school as well so we played a small bit of rugby but nothing worth talking about to be honest because it was always hurling.
“We played football too obviously with St Nicks and still do. Hurling was always my first love anyway and I didn't really venture too far from it. Looking back now I probably should have to get a mix of skills from some other sports but it was always hurling that was number one for me anyway.”
Cork have built on their progress from last year, showing well in the league to qualify for this Sunday’s final. He’s glad with the strength in depth in the panel and says it gives them plenty of options as regards team selection, with their Munster championship beginning against Clare in a fortnight's time.
“Thankfully that's not my job (picking the team). I don't have to pick the team. Look, I'm sure Pat and the management team have lots of headaches but I would look at that as a good thing to be honest. There are plenty of options and plenty of quality options too.”
He has to be encouraged to talk about the All-Ireland final wonder-goal, but praises his club-mate Patrick Horgan for his role in the build-up, dragging a Clare defender out of his way with a typically clever move.
“Like I say, things are just happening so fast.
All I can remember is Hoggy kind of made a move to the sideline and the second he did that, I could kind of see out of the corner of my eye a lot of space there.
"I just kept going and tried to give it to Alan Connolly but his man seemed to stay with him. When I got there, I just hit it as hard as I could and thankfully it went in."
“For me, it was great at the time. I think it put us 1-7 to 0-3 up. But afterwards it probably just wasn't enough on the day.
“Not that I look back and say it's a negative thing or anything, but I probably haven't thought about it too much at all, being honest. I've seen the video a couple of times but I think unless you can keep doing things like that again and again, it doesn't really matter."
“That's just how your thinking has to be, to be honest."
1 April 2025; Robert Downey of Cork, left, and Jake Morris of Tipperary with the Allianz Hurling League Division 1A trophy ahead of the Allianz Hurling League Division 1A Final between Cork and Tipperary at SuperValu Páirc Uí Chaoimh in Cork this weekend. Photo by Brendan Moran/Sportsfile
