Finn: Tipperary by far the better team

CORK camogie boss Pa Finn is performing his duty — albeit an unpleasant one.

He speaks to everybody who comes his way. Accepts the commiserations and the goodwill handshakes. He is making his way toward the winner's dressing-room and knows it could have been better, if they only accepted a portion of the chances that came their way.

"If only we had taken more chances at the start of the second half. We had a mere two points on the board after 20 minutes of the half. That was never going to be good enough."

The Premier County accrued 1-6 during the same stage with Deirdre Hughes's goal 40 seconds into the half proving to be the turning point of the day. Overall though, he had no complaints.

"Tipperary were by far the better team and we were beaten in too many places. They attacked everything and they hurled in bunches. But in fairness to Cork they came back and worked exceptionally hard in the closing stages. We did the best we could. We brought on five substitutes and I though Briege Corkery did very well. They were better than us end of story."

Cork were rocked within minutes of the second half having lost two-thirds of a half back line that were so dependable all year. Finn admitted to being worried at the interval. "At the outset I felt if our backs did a good job on their forwards we would win. In fairness to them they tried their hearts out, but their attack was that little bit better on the day. That is all I can say."

Centre-forward Emer Dillon who hit two wonderful points failed to hide her distress. She stops and ponders almost lost for words. All around her they feel much the same.

"How can you explain something like that? We never really got going. Our forward line was just stuck to the ground. We faded away into ourselves and nobody stood up to be counted."

However, the Cork girls never gave up. A goal three minutes into injury time from Gemma O'Connor the wing-back had left the field five minutes after the interval with a hand injury and resumed with eight minutes to go at right corner forward threw the red and white a lifeline. Three points down they gasped for air.

On the other hand there was no question that they ever underestimated their opponents.

"We gave it everything out there. There was no fear that we took anything for granted. If anything, being a point up at half time worked to our disadvantage. We probably were not fired up enough coming out for the second half."

It is also decision time now for the international hockey player. "Back to training tomorrow night. Yeah, it will not be easy. I will have to decide which path to take. That will be for another day," she maintained.