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 13 September 2004 By Michael Moynihan Irish Examiner | |||
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DONAL O’GRADY’S reflections yesterday on a job well done were typical of the man.
He concentrated on the result and detailed the process, but the passion also glinted: "I think we deserved it.
"We played well, though we didn't play well all the time we were a bit tense, especially in the first half. The conditions were very difficult, with a swirling wind, and Joe Deane hit the bar when a goal would have settled us down.
O'Grady was phlegmatic about 2003: "Last year we missed too many chances and we didn't deserve to win; we set that right this year and that was important to us," but he also swiped at older myths about Cork: "People talk about Cork not being able to play in the wet or not being able for rough stuff, but that's gone for 10 or 20 years." His pre-game chat with Aodan McSuibhne was quite specific, by the way: "I just wanted to clarify one rule page 12 of the rule book, about goalkeeping. I thought the referee did a very good job. The game was good and tough."
Asked about the satisfaction of coaching a team to All-Ireland success, the St Finbarr's man was, as always, anxious to deflect the limelight onto his charges: "The personal satisfaction comes in the team playing well and doing themselves justice, particularly in the second-half. Seventy minutes is a long time and you'll be in and out of the game, but the team knuckled down and fought very hard all through. That's all you can ask and that's where the satisfaction comes in."
The turning points? O'Grady acknowledged Donal Óg Cusack's save from a point-blank shot by Henry Shefflin as crucial while suggesting the vital score as "Tom Kenny's great run and point, which put us seven ahead. I felt at that time that we wouldn't let it slip like last year."
"I felt we'd had a few chances before half-time, but that we hadn't played particularly well. I felt that if we got the ball into the full-forward line we'd do well, because we were on top there when we got the ball in quickly. That was the plan for the second-half, to get the ball into the full-forwards and to have the half-forwards and centre fielders coming onto it, and that worked well for us."
One of the full-forwards in question came in for special mention: "Brian (Corcoran) came back into the team and did a great job for us.
"When you see a player of the calibre of Noel Hickey getting shunted to the corner because he can't handle the full-forward that was great for us it gives you a fillip because it shows the opposition is in trouble.
"It unhinged the Kilkenny defence slightly and I felt confident once we went five points up. The full-back and half-back lines were superb."
Sean Óg Ó hAilpín's performance also came in for particular praise: "I thought Sean Óg was absolutely colossal for us, absolutely outstanding. In all the games he's played for us he's been tremendous. Media commentators may put certain players above him but I have the height of respect for him, he's a super player and gives everything he has."
O'Grady reverted to inclusive mode when asked about the massive Cork support: "We saw the crowd on the field and the support has been magnificent. In 1999, the supporters adhered to the rule about staying off the field, but there was so much emotion there today after last year particularly. The support we got all year was great.
"I also want to pay tribute to my selectors and the rest of the backroom team. They've been superb and the players have done everything we asked of them. They worked hard and showed great flashes of skill, and the best team won."
Cork are now one ahead of Kilkenny in the All-Ireland lists; was that ever a factor for the team? "There was no motivation to stop Kilkenny or to go one ahead. The players and I didn't speak about that. It was all about playing in an All-Ireland and trying to win it; they don't come around too often."
Asked about his future plans, the response was typical: "That's not a question to answer tonight, tonight is all about the players."
The coach completely in character, as always.
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