February 17, 2011
By Staff Reporter
Billed as a showdown – Derry only needed a draw to take the championship – the contest soon became less important than the occasion as Cork were by far the better of the two sides. Once John O’Flynn scored in the 18th minute the writing was on the wall for Derry, and when Liam Kearney added a second after the interval, the result was never in any doubt.
The outcome was also a particular redemption for Cork manager Damien Richardson who had been a runner-up three times as a player and three times as coach. “We played wonderfully well. We knew we were the best team but it took bravery to go out there and prove it and that’s what every one of the players did,” Richardson said.
Cork took the title in the end by two points from Derry with Shelbourne in third place.