 After two lackluster championship campaigns by Cork in 1987 and 1988, Mulcahy was dropped from the team in 1989.Glen Rovers's club success at the end of that year paved the way for a return to the Cork team when the club nominated Mulcahy for the county captaincy in 1990.An injury resulted in him missing Cork's successful provincial campaign, however, he made his first championship appearance in over two years in Cork's All-Ireland semi-final defeat of Antrim.