We showed real character, says Leahy

THE facial expressions of the two managers told their own stories.

Tony Leahy was on a high on the field as the Munster U-21 football trophy was presented to Cork captain Donal Óg O’Donovan, the grandson of former Cork coach Donie O’Donovan.

When Charlie Nelligan emerged from the Kerry dressing-room he looked more hurt by the nature of the defeat than losing to his rivals.

And he acknowledged that the loss of senior star Colm Cooper had been crucial.

Leahy was delighted by the way they had answered their critics. “The players had been written off. It was said the talent wasn’t there, we didn’t have the spirit. We worked since January and tonight they showed their character.

“That was the only way we were going to win it. If we were five or six points in front we might have struggled. The only way to beat Kerry is come at them in the last minute - and we did it.

“We took the game to them once we got settled. We were not going to win it in the first-half. We set out our stall to try to contain them and play the best we could. We didn’t go running mad around the place.”

Leahy added that their substitutions had worked.

“You don’t win a game with 15 players. They made a difference. Kerry took the game by the scruff of the neck halfway through the second-half and we started to tire.

“I knew we would have a burst with about 10 minutes to go and we got it. We got the score that counted at the end.”

Charlie Nelligan felt things went ‘horribly wrong’ at a critical stage. “They just didn’t go right - simple things like not catching the ball or holding onto it too long,” he said.

“The misses were vital. Any time you miss a score against Cork it’s vital. It’s worth two to them.”

He was still worried even when his team held a four-point advantage 13 minutes from the end.

“You never feel confident against Cork until the game is over. They came at us big time in the last 10 minutes. They showed great character. But they are a good team. They deserved it.”

He made it clear that Cooper was badly missed.

“The game would be over at half-time if you had Gooch. That’s the way it is!”