JIMMY BARRY-MURPHY says his Cork side got the luck they needed to edge out Kilkenny today.
The Rebels ran out 0-19 to 0-15 winners over the Cats at Semple Stadium.
“We were disappointed with our performance against Limerick in the Munster final and I knew it was going to take a huge effort to get over Kilkenny,” the Cork boss said afterwards on RTÉ TV. “I think in fairness, luck wasn’t with us in the Munster final but we got the breaks today.”
Asked if he was disappointed with any aspects of the Leesiders’ performance, the St Finbarr’s clubman added: “Well I suppose when we had the extra man we probably should have went further ahead and made it more comfortable for ourselves in the end but Kilkenny are great champions, they went down with great pride and, in the modern game, it’s very, very hard to survive with 14 men as we found out in the Munster final.
“But Kilkenny played with phenomenal heart, as they always do, and they are a very hard team to put away. We just about saw it out in the end of that.
“It took one magnificent save by Anthony Nash, in particular to keep the scoreboard where it was. If they got a goal that time… they are proud champions and they die very, very hard so it was a crucial juncture in the match. In fairness to Anthony, he made a great save and that got us over the line.
“The penalty and the save afterwards from general play, they were vital,” he added.
Cork now turn their attention to a last-four meeting with Dublin at Croke Park.
“We’ll take it one step at a time,” Barry-Murphy told Joanne Cantwell. “Dublin in a fortnight’s time is going to be a massive game for us as well. They also beat Kilkenny in a replay which is a difficult thing to do. Anthony Daly has done a fabulous job with Dublin and it’s just great to be there and we’ll think about that now tomorrow.”
Ireland a hotbed of rugby football? Seriously?
@Richard Ford: Really, you felt it necessary to make such a comment?
@Der Calnan: . It’s a legitimate point.
@Richard Ford: Only in south Dublin, and parts of Limerick & Cork cities.
GAA / soccer would be far more widely played than rugby union.
@Colm O’Sullivan: Yup. I agree entirely. That’s the point I was making.
Don’t want to be a harbinger of doom for the lad, but if he’s this injury prone at 20, it’s not a great sign. The new brighton gaffer doesn’t appear to rate him at all either. Maybe Potter might be good for him if he goes to the Hammers.