Kelly’s goal huge Tipp spur, says disappointed Cusack

THEY have been there before, forced to go through the qualifier route.

Last year they failed to get beyond the All-Ireland quarter-final and in 2006 they went all the way to the final only to lose their title to Kilkenny.

This time, under the new system, Cork will be lining up against one of the beaten Leinster semi-finalists and judging from the reaction of team captain John Gardiner and goalkeeper Donal Óg Cusack after yesterday’s defeat, you got the impression they didn’t think they would be doing it this way.