Elated Keane hails ‘special bunch of lads’

THERE was a lot of extra responsibility resting on the shoulders of the Cork intermediate team in the lead-up to this All-Ireland final, and not just within the county.

After a very poor season by their own standards, on and off the field, an All-Ireland title of any description can only help to start the healing process. On a wider scale, however, with Kilkenny bidding to repeat last year’s Grand Slam of titles at minor, U21, intermediate and senior, the hurling world needed someone to step forward and challenge the absolute dominance of the Cats.

Cork manager Johnny Keane was aware of the connotations, but confident he had the team to do the business, He said: “Cork needed this All-Ireland, badly. We knew at the start of the year that we had a special bunch of lads. We knew we had the talent, but we knew they had the right attitude. I’m involved for six years, and I know intermediate isn’t the highest grade you can play, but it was taken very seriously this year.

“We had over 20 training sessions, which never happened before, we played some really top-quality training matches against some top clubs. They’re a special bunch of lads. Intermediate? I thought I’d seen everything. They’re a special talent, they had come out of third level with their colleges, had played minor and U21 with the county, but gave it total commitment. After they beat Tipperary in May they promised they’d do everything in their power to win the All-Ireland, they’ve done that, and inflicted the first championship loss on Kilkenny in two years.”

Star of the show for Cork with 10 points was sweet-striking midfielder Leigh Desmond, from Youghal. A senior panellist last season, this was a step in the right direction, for himself and for Cork.

“We knew we were up against it. Kilkenny’s record speaks for itself. Going for four All-Irelands again this year, we knew if we didn’t perform we were going home empty-handed. But Johnny and the backroom team had us so well prepared – we weren’t leaving Dungarvan without that cup. It is an absolutely amazing feeling to say you’re an All-Ireland winner. We’re a tightly knit group, a lot of these lads have played in minor and U21 teams together for the last few years and you’re mixing in with the likes of Rory Dwyer, who was going for his fourth All-Ireland medal at this grade, and Dara McSweeney, who won an All-Ireland club with Blarney last year and a Fitzgibbon with UCC. Those guys won’t allow you to become lazy or complacent, all you have to do is follow their lead and you’ll get there.”

Cork deserved this, and none more than captain Dara McSweeney: “We set our goal at the start of the year, to win the All-Ireland. We had young players getting their first exposure to this level, and every game we played this year was tough, competitive.

“We were ferociously hungry, we had the will to win, we were well prepared. We didn’t need heavy training, we were doing that with the clubs, but Johnny Keane and Martin McSweeney had things down to a tee. We had two sessions during the week where all we were doing was getting our touch in and getting focused. We knew we were coming to a fine hurling pitch, we knew the opposition would be good – you don’t get an easy game against Kilkenny at any grade. We had to be focused from the first ball and we were. It ends the year on a positive note for us and for Cork.”