Tompkins not ready to decide future
Throw in the fact that they are up against their oldest and most bitter rivals, that they’ve already beaten those rivals in their own provincial final, and you begin to imagine how Larry Tompkins was feeling about five o’clock yesterday afternoon.
After six years in charge, six frustrating seasons in which the Holy Grail has eluded the former multiple All-Star, time perhaps to start thinking of another way to spend his spare time.
But, not yet, not just yet, says Larry. “The players are the number one, never mind about Larry Tompkins; I would hope they’ll bounce back from this. But I’ve made no decision on my future.”
What must have made this defeat even harder for Tompkins was that some players, especially his inside forward line, became more and more distracted by the performance of referee Brian White, to the detriment of their own game.
In the case of captain Colin Corkery, that frustration exploded, culminating in a second yellow/red card for kicking the ball at the referee. Given that Cork had just mounted a run, which included a disallowed goal after a quickly-taken free (White, who admittedly did Cork few favours, was correct in that one, the free having been taken from inside the 13m line) and a point from their captain that blazed just over, Tompkins had good reason to feel aggrieved.
But at who, the referee or his own players? Given the history of this Cork team and its manager with referees, no prizes for guessing the answer.
“I suppose I’d better not make any comments or I’ll get suspended again,” was his first reaction, a reference to the fact that he has just served a three-match sideline ban for indiscretions in that department.
“I might get suspended again. I’d better not make any rash comments, leave that for another day.”
The second red card was given to corner forward Fionnan Murray, minutes after he’d scored a blistering goal-of-the-season contender.
“I feel sorry for the two lads. One incident, I don’t know, I’m reluctant to make any comments on it, but Fionnan, Colin, they’re not dirty players, that’s all I’d say. I think it’s the first time Colin has ever been sent off, and Fionnan the same, I’d say. I don’t think either of them is dirty, or anything like that.”
Not that he was offering the double sending-off as excuse, or blaming the referee. No way.
“Kerry came out of the blocks quick, and in fairness they were the better team on the day, we have no excuses about that,” he conceded.
“We always feel we can win, and in fairness to the lads, they battled well in the second half. I’m proud of every one of those lads, and I have been all through. Kerry have proven over the last few years that they are a very good side, probably the best team over the last five or six years. These things are going to happen, one of those days when it didn’t go right for us.”
Still, long evenings to come, a lot of time for reflection, a lot of pain to be exorcised. Not a good afternoon to be a manager. The dog days of summer.
CONNECT WITH US TODAY
Be the first to know the latest news and updates
