‘The pain of losing an All-Ireland is absolutely gutting’

BAD enough that you’re a Cork hurler going for three-in-a-row, but selling helmets for a living on top of that? This week of all weeks?

Ronan Curran says you might as well face it: “It’s always going to be there, even if you’re not working people are still going to be talking about the game.”

Pause.

“I might have to hide myself in the office for the week, though.”

This is a better year for the Cork centre-back. Replaced in the quarter- and semi-final last year, facing the final he was under a little pressure.

“A little? Last year wasn’t the best, I had two bad games and I was under a bit of pressure going into the final. This year it’s been a bit different, things have gone ok; last year it might have been only three or four balls in each game went wrong but at this level if you make a mistake you’ll be punished, so maybe it was a lack of concentration. That hasn’t happened yet this year, and hopefully it won’t happen next Sunday.

“The last two games were fairly frightening — against Limerick we were six points or so up in the second half and we probably made a couple of silly mistakes when we should have been ruthless. We let Limerick back into it and it can be very hard to stop a team when they come at you like that, we were lucky to get out of it in the end.

“Against Waterford you’d take a one-point victory every day, they’re a potentially dangerous team with great forwards and they can destroy you on their day. In the semi-final it wasn’t us getting into trouble, it was going to be a dogfight to the end. ”

All year Cork have been doing the right thing, particularly towards the end of matches.

Curran says: “The worst thing you can do with five or ten minutes left in a game is panic, then you make the wrong decisions and start to do the little things wrong – that’s what loses games for you. We know we can depend on each other.

“Like Donal Óg, he’s always there when you need him: he was there against Tipperary when we allowed two or three goal chances and he certainly saved us against Waterford. The eyewear is pretty funny-looking but Donal says it works and I believe him after the last day.”

At the other end of the experience spectrum, young Cathal Naughton of Newtownshandrum. Two minutes, two touches, two scores.

“A great start, he’s a great young fella. When he came on there wasn’t a sign of nerves, though he’s probably used to the big stage with Newtown and the All-Ireland club. He’s very honest and he’ll try his best, hopefully he’ll do the same if he’s called on the next day.”

Cork’s concentration on Sunday has been unwavering since the semi-final victory; Curran understands the frustration other players can suffer due to the focus on the county team’s preparations.

“Training’s gone very well. It was important to get the club games out of the way, but you’d feel for the club players trying to sort out holidays and so on.

“I think we needed those three or four weeks to get the basis of the training done, the tough training, after the last game. Hopefully we’ll be right for the final now.”

“A bit of variety in training is the main thing. We’re there for four years and if you were doing the same drills it’d get pretty monotonous, but in 2003 was very helpful to us. It was a blessing in disguise to lose the final because you see the other side of it – the pain of losing an All-Ireland is absolutely gutting, the year after there was a vast difference. That’s why we’re motivated to win one this year as well.

“Seanie McGrath and Jerry Wallace have brought training to a whole new level, measuring heart rates shows them when fellas are tired and need a rest. It’s very scientific.”

So is the focus on the opposition.

“You have to think about your own game, but the next day, against Kilkenny, you’ll have to know their strengths and weaknesses, what they’ll do at certain times, so we’ll probably use video analysis and tactics.

“Donal O’Grady introduced the tactical analysis, video analysis of ourselves and our opponents, and John has brought it to another level.”

Is that tiresome?

“Not really, we know it has to be done. You enjoy that side, trying to outthink a team, it’s enjoyable in its own way, but you have to mix it up.”

Curran expects a physical encounter on Sunday. “With Kilkenny you’d expect that, they’re a very strong, physical team. In 2004 there was probably a bit of tension there from the year before, this game may be more tactical, though on the day hurling can throw up anything. Kilkenny will never be weak, they’ve great players, Henry Shefflin, Tommy Walsh.”

Finally, with an hour and change left in the season, can we talk about the three-in-a-row? After all, denying it must have motivated Cork in 2004.

“Didn’t feature one bit that day. We were just thinking about the year before; we struggled in the first half in 2003 and Kilkenny got on top of us towards the end, so that’s what we were thinking of in 2004. I presume the Kilkenny lads will be thinking much the same way this year.”

First they have to get past Curran. Whatever about this week in work, he won’t be hiding anywhere on Sunday.