THIS is what we’ve been waiting for: Cork football feels like it’s on the rise after a full decade outside the top tier of Gaelic football.

The Rebels are heading back to Division 1 for the first time since 2016. And John Cleary’s men have proved they deserve to be there.

At different times writing this column, I have been told I ‘wasn’t backing my own’ and not too long after that I ‘went too easy on them’, so it can sometimes be a difficult line to walk. Thankfully, we can be virtually nothing but positive after an excellent 2026 Division 2 league campaign.

It wasn’t all smooth sailing. Few would have anticipated Cork topping the table after an hour of the opener against Cavan. Cork’s bench, most notably Steven Sherlock, saved the game for Cork that day. Apart from the no-show in Derry, the performances improved exponentially and the results have followed.

Six wins from seven games in any league campaign is superb form, even more so with four away fixtures to navigate. Cork’s decision to relocate from Páirc Uí Chaoimh to Páirc Uí Rinn for the two home games after Cavan bore fruit also, with the performance and win over Sunday’s opponents, Meath, a particular high point.

We will look ahead to Sunday’s league final shortly but first we must acknowledge one of the best days for Cork football since September 19th, 2010. In truth, last Sunday’s win against Tyrone might just be the most significant result achieved since we sat on top of the throne that year. Granted, Cork would follow up the league and All-Ireland double with back-to-back Division 1 titles, as well as a Munster title in 2012, however those achievements ultimately didn’t lay the foundations for continued success as we hoped.

Cork’s semi-final defeat to Donegal that year and the subsequent transition period that saw Conor Counihan depart as manager followed swiftly by several high-profile, experienced team leaders, precipitated a downward spiral that Cork has not been able to escape from. Until now.

So, huge congratulations to John Cleary and the entire squad – this return to the top table of football has been a long time coming and is well earned by the hardy campaigners who have soldiered for the county in lean years.

As always, the past is the past, and we are focused on the here and now. Cork went to Tyrone needing a result to ensure promotion and were full value for a three-point success, 0-22 to 0-19. Tyrone played with the wind at their backs in the first half but Cork were the better side for the opening 20 minutes or so.

We said last week that should Ian Maguire, Colm O’Callaghan and the supporting cast around the middle gain a foothold, then Cork had the forwards to trouble Tyrone. Thankfully, both midfielders were very prominent with O’Callaghan in particular back to his rampaging best after a couple of quieter outings post Meath.

Up front, Chris Óg Jones was the star turn but Cork got most of their scores from runners coming from deep in the opening period. Maguire notched one to add to his partners’ pair, with Luke Fahy and Tommy Walsh also getting on the scoreboard with fine scores. Sherlock, Mark Cronin and Sean McDonnell also chipped in and Cork led 0-8 to 0-3 after 20 minutes.

It was then that Tyrone started to turn the tide as their big men around the middle went after the Cork kick-out and Cork struggled on the breaking ball. Tyrone reeled Cork back to a single point lead at the break. Truthfully, they should have been ahead. Darren McCurry hit the crossbar with an effort for goal, and the home side kicked some poor wides during their period of dominance. That said, it was looking good for Cork to get the result they needed, turning to play with the breeze in the second half.

Tyrone moved ahead early in the second period, so Cork had to dig deep here. They did. Dara Sheedy popped over an equaliser before motioning to the sideline that he needed to go off – we hope it was nothing too serious and he will be okay for Sunday. Luckily for Cork, his replacement was a chomping at the bit, and Brian Hurley, the Castlehaven stalwart, played a huge part in a strong Cork finish.

In tandem with Sherlock, the two best forwards in the Cork senior football championship showed they can most certainly be effective on the pitch together at the same time.

Sherlock went from making a crucial block in front his own goal, which in an interesting juxtaposition almost ended in a goal chance for Maurice Shanley, to kicking a brilliant two-pointer minutes later.

In less than 20 minutes of playing time, Hurley’s cameo yielded four vital points. His own two-pointer might have been fortuitous in the extreme, owing more to the wind and a firm surface after the recent good weather than any great ball-striking, however the man has more than earned that bit of luck as his shot bounced over the Tyrone bar.

Hurley rounded off the Cork scoring with a more conventional fisted effort as Tyrone threatened a late fightback and Cork were all but home. Fellow sub Ruairí Deane placed Hurley for that score. While David Buckley was given less than a minute to impress, he did secure possession from the last kick-out to close the game out for his team. The full-time whistle brought huge jubilation for the squad and the small bunch of hardy supporters who made the journey to Omagh.

With promotion now secured, Cork can now look forward to a big game in Croke Park with silverware on the line. As it was in the years 1987 through 1990 and again in 1999, it is Meath that lies in wait. The game will inevitably bring back memories of those titanic contests; however we are more concerned with looking ahead. This is a massive opportunity for the current team to win a major trophy in the hallowed ground of Croke Park.

Back in 2009, I was part of a Cork squad that secured the same trophy, and less than a year later we claimed the biggest prize of all. True, many of us believe that we should have added at least one more Sam Maguire to our haul in that era, however it was still the best Cork football would have it since Billy’s boys battled with Boylan and Co for supremacy 20 years earlier.

We are not suggesting the current squad are at the same stage of development as we were then, given that we were fixtures in the final four of the All-Ireland at that time. But the road back to the top has to start somewhere and last Sunday was a quantum leap in that regard. Backing that win up with another this Sunday would be another statement from a Cork team that have made a few this year already.

Watching the two teams close up in Páirc Uí Rinn a few weeks ago, I felt Cork were the better team on the day. Meath are a big side with good footballers, but when Cork matched them physically, we appeared to have the legs to cause them trouble. Cork are marrying the running game we’ve always had with more direct football and long-range kicking also.

Simply put, if Cork can again get their fair share of possession in the battle around the middle, we have more than enough to get the scores to beat Meath again.

Meath have some dangerous forwards of their own and Cork will need to pay close attention to Jordie Morris and Ruairi Kinsella amongst others.

Meath, though, will have more individuals that they should be worried about on the Cork side. If the players who have performed so well to this point can lift themselves for one more good cut, I will firmly back my own this time to get the job done.

Division 2 or not, a trophy for Cork football would be worth its weight in gold on Sunday evening. Cork to prevail by a couple of points. Then we can really start plotting for the future. Corcaigh abú.