O hAilpín: We’ve a lot to think about

CORK hurler Seán Óg O hAilpín says he and his teammates face “a lot of soul-searching” following their heavy defeat to Kilkenny in last Sunday’s All-Ireland SHC semi-final.

The Rebels were blown away by a Kilkenny side hunting their fifth All-Ireland in a row last weekend and O hAilpín said Cork just hadn’t performed.

“It was very disappointing, especially when you’re going up there with some hope. We actually went up full of confidence.

“If we weren’t going to win we wanted to put up a better show than that, which is why it’s so disappointing and deflating. For us to make a game of it, however, we probably needed everyone playing to the best of their ability, which we didn’t.

“We’d have been lucky to have two fellas who played up to their ability. Therein lies the problem – we just didn’t perform on the day. I’m not going to say ‘we didn’t perform because of this that or the other’. There’s going to be a lot of soul-searching done between here and winter.

“If we were to be beaten there’s no fault in being beaten by a team like that.”

O hAilpín felt that Kilkenny are far better than they were four years ago, when Cork lost to the Cats in the All-Ireland final by three points.

“The facts don’t lie. They’re hammering teams for the last couple of years, so they are (better). The difference is we’re probably relying on the same guys while they’ve rejuvenated their team. Have no doubt about it, it’ll take a serious outfit to beat this team.

“Tipp showed a template for that last year but without jumping the gun too much, while I think Tipp will beat Waterford next week I can’t see them beating Kilkenny. But who knows?”

The 2005 All-Ireland winning captain said he had made no decision on his own future at inter-county level.

“It’s too quick to discuss that, the day after the game. I’m concentrating on our (Na Piarsaigh) game with Midleton this weekend. I’ll see my hurling out for this year and then sit down and see.”

The wing-back would not be drawn on the potential need for restructuring the GAA within Cork. “I’m not getting into that debate. I’ve spoken on that before. In other sports when a loss like that takes place you’ve to look at where you’re going, the future and so on, but at the end of the day I’m just a player. I don’t make those decisions.”

While O hAilpín said Cork had improved since last year, by the standards on Leeside the year had been a failure.

“By Cork standards and the Cork public’s standards, the year has been a failure, Cork is built on success and titles. We contested big games, which we didn’t do in the last two years, but we don’t want players to be in a mind-set where it’s enough just to be involved. That’s not good enough.

“If we sit down at the end of the year it’ll be seen as a failure that we didn’t win a major title. Compared to this time last year it’s better, and getting a team together in harmony it’s been successful. But in terms of competing and winning titles, we’re a long, long way off.

“Where Cork go from now on . . . it’s going to be a long recovery.”