Ben O'Connor: 'It just didn't happen for us'
Cork senior hurling manager Ben O'Connor. Photo by Seb Daly/Sportsfile
By Cian O'Connell
"It didn't happen for us, we were outworked and outhurled for long periods of it, and still with 10 minutes ago we were still in it," was Cork manager Ben O'Connor's assessment following the All-Ireland SHC Semi-Final loss against Galway at Croke Park.
Ultimately, it ended in disappointment for Cork at GAA headquarters as Galway produced a dynamic display. "For the last seven or eight minutes they really took over," O'Connor added.
"I don't care about anyone else, it's our supporters who travelled up, the 36 fellas we have in the dressing room and all the backroom.
"We've been meeting three, four and five nights a week since last November so I'm disappointed for them. A lot of people don't realise the time and effort that goes in, and I'm looking at it with my Cork glasses on, that's the same for every other county."
Ahead 1-13 to 1-12 at the break, how did O'Connor feel at the interval? "I won’t say confident, but I thought them few points before half time killed us," O'Connor replied.
"We had a nice cushion at that stage. Did they get the first two or three after half-time as well?
"It was an area that cost us in the Munster final and it was an area that cost us again. Once they got on top of us, we had no comeback for them. The sending off then made it impossible.
"That’s not a true reflection of our lads. For everyone watching it is, people are saying ‘Oh, Cork again’, but we’re better than that, we just didn’t do it today."
