CORK BOSS JIMMY Barry-Murphy identified ‘the signs of vulnerability’ in Kilkenny’s play this season as a central reason why they could triumph in yesterday’s All-Ireland quarter-final.
The Rebels produced a shock result to dump the reigning champions out of this year’s All-Ireland championship race but they took inspiration from what Dublin and Waterford had achieved against the Cats earlier this summer.
“There were signs of vulnerability, Dublin beat Kilkenny in a replay, which I didn’t see coming and then Waterford ran them very close the last day.
“It’s quite obvious Kilkenny aren’t the team they were, but in fairness, no team can keep going forever. Still, it’s very hard for us to come from where we were last year in the league final, to build up morale and to build up confidence.
“I’m delighted with the win, it’s a great achievement for Cork to beat Kilkenny and I’m delighted for the lads.”
Just like Cork’s Munster final against Limerick, a sending-off on the cusp of half-time was a notable moment in shaping yesterday’s game. But on this occasion it was Cork who incurred the advantage of the extra man when Henry Shefflin was shown a second yellow card.
“The sending-off was significant, it always is,” admitted Barry-Murphy. “It happened to us in the Munster Final. Conor O’Sullivan is very good for that (spare man) role, he’s a good hurler and he has a good head for the game.
“In the modern game, with fitness levels the way they are, it’s very difficult for fourteen men to play fifteen – it’s almost impossible. In the Munster final we hung in there for a long time, which we didn’t get much credit for, but it’s almost impossible to hold out.
“In the second half yesterday we got a bit edgy – we’ve had a few defeats, we haven’t won much in the last few years and it’s hard to beat a team like Kilkenny. They were never going to go easy, and our lads showed great maturity at times, when they had to.
“Anthony Nash made two blinding saves and only for that it would have been a different game. If they’d gotten a goal, given our vulnerability after the Munster final, I’m not sure how we would have reacted.”
Patrick Horgan
INPHO/Donall Farmer
Barry-Murphy also praised the decision made last week to overturn Patrick Horgan’s suspension.
“We successfully argued his case last week and I think the right decision was made. I’m delighted he was able to play a role today.
“We felt it would have been very tough on him to miss the game and we argued our case on the basis of the evidence we produced, and I think it was a fair result.”
