Mulrooney: we didn’t hurl to our potential

KILKENNY coach Richie Mulrooney admitted his side got out of jail in yesterday’s All-Ireland MHC final against Galway.

“I remember saying to an Irish Examiner reporter after the semi-final against Tipperary that I hoped we hadn’t peaked. We didn’t hurling out there like we can and while I’m thrilled at winning; you’ve got to have sympathy for Galway.

“Our work ethic stood to us. Even though we were being beaten in lots of positions, the lads kept their composure and kept plugging away.

“Our substitutions worked extremely well for us. I said to Danny (Purcell) just before he went on that we were in need of a goal if we were to win it and he was the man to get it for us. Thankfully that’s the way it worked out. That’s the way it runs for some fellas. While today’s performance wasn’t one we wanted to give, it was nonetheless a winning one. I’m very proud of the lads for winning Kilkenny their first minor title in five years.”

Mulrooney felt his side had plenty of possession but bemoaned their poor finishing time and again.

He reasoned: “It wasn’t as if we were being outhurled. We had our share of possession but our shooting was appalling. That was surprising given how well we had played in our previous matches. However all’s well that ends well and we are the champions, despite not playing to our potential.”

For Danny Purcell it was a fairytale end to a glorious season which saw him win his second All-Ireland colleges medal with DLS Waterford.

“This is brilliant,” he said. “I could never have envisaged the year ending this way. The colleges final was great but this tops it by a mile. When you are a sub you are always anxious to get a chance to play, and thankfully I got mine. I couldn’t have envisaged scoring the match winning goal, but when Canice (Maher) passed out to me, I just had a go and thankfully it went it.”

A dejected Galway manager Mattie Murphy was at a loss to explain how his side had lost this decider.

“We have a performance out there today that was out of the top drawer and to come away with nothing for it is heart breaking. Nobody gave us a ghost of a chance coming up here. Everybody expected us to do down. But I can tell now I’m extremely proud of every one of those lads in our dressing room.

“I’ve gone down but I was never as proud a group of players than I am of those lads, and I’m not going to point the finger of blame at any of them.

“Fair play to Kilkenny they got the rub of the green which is always important in All-Ireland finals, but they’ll know tomorrow they’ve been in a match.”