Skehan: Cork players must accept responsibility for failure

CORK’S crestfallen hurlers were warned last night that the onus is on them to ensure that their season doesn’t collapse after Sunday’s numbing Munster final defeat.

Kilkenny selector Noel Skehan, whose side enjoyed a facile victory over Dublin in the first round of the qualifiers on Saturday, is adamant that teams beaten at provincial level remain capable of winning the Liam McCarthy Cup provided the mindset of the players is right.

"The direct route is the easy route," Skehan said yesterday. "If you can get your team properly focused why can't a county win the All-Ireland through the qualifying system? You have to beat the best to win the title anyway."