McIntyre very proud of Galway ‘bottle’

NOT surprisingly, Galway boss John McIntyre was ebullient after Saturday night’s victory over Cork.

“A massive win for Galway. I’m proud of them, I’m proud of everyone connected with that victory.

“Over the years Galway’s bottle has been questioned, but there’s no question about this team’s bottle after tonight. They won it the hard way and I salute them for that.”

Asked if he felt under pressure, facing Waterford next weekend, McIntyre was bullish.

“There’s no whingeing from us, we’re not looking for sympathy. We tried to use the fact that Adrian Cullinane was out as motivation, for instance. What’s the alternative? “If we lost to Cork we’d be go home to lick our wounds. These lads want hardship, there’s more hardship next weekend and we’ll be ready.”

Galway selector Joe Connolly was also overjoyed.

“It’s a good evening for Galway hurling. It’s been a long time coming. We’ve had a lot of sickeners against Cork over the years.

“What was different about Saturday was the few matches we had coming into it. If this had been the same as last year we wouldn’t have beaten Cork in the last 10 minutes, because we would have had no game to see what we were about. We’re getting there.

“The lads stood up to it in the games against Laois, Kilkenny and Clare and we kept them there. And there’s no doubt those matches were definitely the difference.”

The Galway All-Ireland winning captain of 1980 was already looking forward to next weekend, and the clash with Waterford.

“It doesn’t stop,” said Connolly. “Mind you, it’s great to be still involved. I have to admit Galway hurling was at a low ebb. Psychologically, there were lots of big disappointments.

“We’re under no illusion about the extent of the challenge facing us from a team that we know exactly how they’re going to be. I know Davey (Fitzgerald) personally and we realise they are going to be as hungry as we are.”

Cork skipper John Gardiner said that there had been “no announcements” in the dressing-room afterwards.

“It was a tough year, we thought there was more in us and that we’d go further once everything had been sorted out. We’re disappointed, we’ve a long time to think about it and I’m sure a lot of lads will be thinking things over in the next few days.

“There were no announcements in the dressing-room and every player was encouraged to stay on board.”

Gardiner felt the goal was the turning point.

“We stayed in it for most of the game – the goal changed it obviously, they got the break in that goal and that made the difference. We were probably chasing the game before that a bit but we were definitely chasing it afterwards.

“Niall (McCarthy) was just unlucky with the chance, but the game didn’t come down to that, in fairness. It was always going to be a question of the team which got the goal having the advantage, and that was Galway.”

Cork manager Denis Walsh paid tribute to Galway.

“We came to win and we can’t begrudge Galway their win. The game went against us all of a sudden after the goal. I think there was only a point in it with eight minutes to go, so it turned suddenly.

“Galway were probably winning the battle in the middle of the field for the last 15 minutes, but really all I’m conscious of is the fact that we had two goal opportunities in the last few minutes.

“Overall, though, to be fair Galway probably deserved the win over the 70 minutes.

“Maybe the (lack of) pre-season training – I’m not using that as an excuse – but you saw yourselves that Galway were motoring strongly right through into injury time.”

Walsh was asked if he expected all the Cork players to return next season. “Knowing these players, they take these defeats seriously and they’ll need a bit of time but my gut reaction is that we’ll have 99% of those players aboard next year. We’ll have people saying we need to carry out surgery but I genuinely have great time for these guys.

“Some of them have given a lot of service and maybe hunger... the body may be fit but that kind of intensity and we’re still in the qualifiers? That’s serious.

“For Galway to try to reproduce it next week, and the winner trying to reproduce it two weeks after that? That’s serious stuff.”