Poor start cost us, admits Rebel boss Kenneally

CORK boss Pat Kenneally expressed pride in his players despite Saturday night’s defeat in the All-Ireland IHC final.

However he admitted their poor start proved their downfall.

“It was the start that we didn’t need. But to be fair while it was a bad start, at half-time we were only a point down after a tough struggle. “We came out in the second half and got that point back. We needed everything to go our way – we needed the rub of the green. We needed the referee to look on us favourably, which I imagine he didn’t. I think we were five points down before we even got going.

“I’m very proud of the lads even though we lost. We probably came up here as underdogs and things just didn’t happen for us on the day.

“Right now we’re very disappointed having lost. We came here to win but didn’t succeed.”

Kenneally also reckoned Colm Casey’s goal came too late to save Cork and its impact was negated when Peter Cleere registered Kilkenny’s second goal.

“When we got the goal in the last few minutes, our gander was really up. But with the sending off, it was always going to be hard. When you’re chasing a game and you’re behind, that makes it more of an uphill battle. If we had got the goal earlier it might have helped. It would have made for a hectic finish and put them under pressure. They might have gone back into their shell then. But it just wasn’t to be.

“We had a chance of a goal in the first half when Mark Harrington got away from his man brilliantly. But he he wasn’t able to hit it cleanly and he struck it as best he could. Their keeper pulled off a brilliant save. They got their goals and took their chances, we didn’t take ours.”