The Cork hurlers are renowned for their professional set-up since their watershed strike of late 2002, but in his autobiography, Every Single Ball, which is launched this Tuesday, Corcoran writes that there were hints even in the hours after this year's loss to Kilkenny that the board might be renewing their pennypinching mentality of old.

"It's a fear we all have now, that it might go back to the pre-strike days if the players don't stay strong, " writes Corcoran.

"The Monday after the All Ireland, just before we checked out of the hotel, a county board officer had a piece of paper for both [trainer] Seanie [McGrath] and myself. I opened mine up and it was a bill for 11.55, for some food ordered to the room. Seanie's bill was 2.25 for a 7-up. After all we've done for Cork through the years and we're counting out coppers to pay for our sandwiches and a fizzy drink.

The strike may be over, lads, but the struggle is not."

Corcoran outlines the improvements the county board have granted the players but claims the players "still have to request every improvement".

"The county board grant these improvements because the current players are strong and because they're winning.

If the next generation of player is not as strong, I'm not convinced the concessions will be so forthcoming."

Corcoran has strong words for Croke Park as well as Pairc Ui Chaoimh. Although he was pivotal in steering his fellow players from voting for strike action at last April's GPA AGM, Corcoran outlines his frustration at the GAA's failure to recognise the GPA and properly engage in debate on the government grant tax scheme.

"I am not for play for play and I believe the GAA uses this argument as a red herring every time players look for status. Let's look at what the GAA does value. At the 2004 All Ireland final, my wife had to drag a buggy and two kids up countless steps to her seat, had to fight her way with the kids through the crowds and an unforgiving Garda line after the match to congratulate me.

For the 2005 final, she decided to watch the match from a comfortable seat in the Burlington Hotel.

"A seat in one of Croke Park's private boxes would have solved one problem. An ID card to state that she was allowed certain access rights as an assigned member of the Cork team would have solved the others. Such a card could have made the difference between my mother and father seeing me win the Liam McCarthy Cup at Croke Park and watching me win it on telly.

"Croke Park will argue that they need all those private booths to provide income to sustain the stadium. And therein you have the problem: we, as players, are not seen as contributing financially to the GAA and therefore are not valued or respected. The grant tax scheme is only worth a grand or two but it is a compensatory gesture for the loss of earnings we accrue and the contribution we make to the image of sport in Ireland. It's not about money. It's about respect."