By CATHAL DERVAN

IT’S quite amazing how much can change in a year. Just ask Setanta O hAilpin or Brian Corcoran, the two men who traded places, almost literally, for the biggest day of the hurling calendar and the All-Ireland final at Croke Park.

A year ago Corcoran was a spectator and O hAilpin a disappointed contestant as Cork lost the McCarthy Cup decider to Kilkenny’s team of all the talents.

This year the roles were reversed. Setanta is now a star of the Aussie Rules game, but he returned home in time to see brother Sean Og win an All-Ireland in a final the Rebels dominated on Sunday.

Incidentally those who saw Setanta in the flesh at Croker were impressed with the way he has filled out physically in his 12 months down under.

And there’s no doubt that the physical presence offered by Corcoran in the full-forward role played a big part in Cork’s triumph in this, the first all-back door final.

Corcoran was a former hurler last September, retired and out of the game at just 30 years of age as he took his place in the Hogan Stand. Retired and badly missed by the Reds.

There’s no doubt Sunday’s winning boss Donal O’Grady will be praised for many things in the coming weeks after masterminding his county’s record 29th All-Ireland crown.

But surely his powers of persuasion, when he sat down with Corcoran and talked the big man back to the red shirt last winter, were his greatest asset in this year of triumph.

What odds O’Grady can get Setanta back for next year? Stranger things have happened, even in hurling.