Cork–Kerry Gaelic football rivalry the greatest team of all-time. Kerry won twelve Munster titles between 1975 and 1986, defeating Cork on each occasion. Cork's lone victory came in the 1983 provincial decider when they stopped Kerry from claiming a record nine-in-a-row. In 1987 Cork broke the Kerry stranglehold at last and made hay while their biggest rivals were going through a transition. Over the next nine years they won seven Munster titles and two All-Ireland titles. The introduction of the qualifiers system in 2001 saw the launch of the Cork-Kerry rivalry on the national stage at Croke Park. Although Cork have defeated Kerry in
Burning of Cork 1920, the IRA's 3rd Cork Brigade ambushed an Auxiliary patrol at Kilmichael, killing 17 Auxiliaries. This was the biggest loss of life for the British in County Cork. On 10 December, British forces declared martial law in counties Cork (including the city), Kerry, Limerick, and Tipperary. It also imposed a military curfew on Cork city, which began at 10 each night. IRA volunteer Seán Healy later recalled that "at least 1,000 troops would pour out of Victoria Barracks at this hour and take over complete control of the city". IRA intelligence established that an Auxiliary patrol usually left Victoria Barracks