Cork football is mourning the loss of former great full back Humphrey Kelleher who has died, aged 59, after a short illness.

Kelleher won an All-Ireland senior medal in 1973 when Cork defeated Galway in the final, and he also won Munster medals in 1971 and again in '74.

He was one of four Millstreet players on a Cork team captained by Billy Morgan in '73. The others were John Coleman, Connie Hartnett and Dinny Long.

Cork manager Morgan paid tribute when he said: "I am shocked and saddened at the news. We go back a long time and had a special relationship.

"Humphrey, being the full back, always looked out for me in goal and he was as good a defender as I ever played with.

"He was a giant on the '73 team and all of us who played that year have happy memories. Humphrey was a great full back, but very underrated."

Kelleher, who worked for John A Wood Ltd, is survived by his wife May and daughters Elaine, Caroline and Monica.