Downey: Kilkenny will take lessons on board

MEDAL-LADEN Kilkenny senior camogie boss Ann Downey is satisfied that the lessons learned in defeat in yesterday’s Gala All-Ireland final will enhance her team’s chance of bouncing back to win an overdue title.

“They are a great bunch of girls. We will be back next year ... no doubt about it,’’ she said.

Downey, who won her 12th medal in the last of Kilkenny’s title victories over Wexford in 1994, felt that her team lost because of two key factors – inexperience primarily and a lack of physical strength in attack.

She pointed out that two of their forwards were 18 year-olds.

“It all comes down to experience. You can’t buy it. The Cork players had it,’’ she commented. “I’d be happy enough with our backs. Cork didn’t have that many goal chances. Our backs worked really hard and so did our centre-fielders – we just didn’t get the rub of the green to be honest.

“We came out in the second-half, Cork upped a notch and we weren’t able to match them for pace.

“And, when we did get the few chances we weren’t able to take them.’’

Other than that, she felt that they were ‘a little bit unlucky with some frees that went against them,’ in addition to others ‘they didn’t get.’

But she was philosophical, adding: “at the end of the day you have to be able to create your own chances and we weren’t able to do that in the second half.

“I am delighted that they didn’t leave themselves down, but I’m disappointed that we didn’t win.

“We came up with high hopes that we were going to be able to match Cork.

“On the day I think it was experience that helped them.

“One or two of our players were ‘struck’ by the whole thing before we even hit a ball.

“I’m sure they will be disappointed in the morning when they know themselves that they didn’t play as well as they could.

“But, having said that, they really battled.’’