Boss Kelleher hails character of team

CORK boss Niall Kelleher paid tribute to the character displayed by his team as they battled back to claim honours in Saturday’s All-Ireland junior football final in Semple Stadium.

After a poor first half, Cork rallied to peg back Kildare before clinching victory in extra-time.

“It is a great feeling to be in charge of an All-Ireland-winning team, simply amazing, unbelievable,” said Kelleher.

“It was obviously a very close match with only the kick of a ball between the two teams. We just fell apart there for 15 minutes in the first half and to be honest we didn’t know what to do on the line. I was a bit worried about how fast and easy Kildare managed to get in for scores in that period.

“Our fitness stood to us. We don’t really train as such. We just come together, because the lads are already heavily involved with their clubs. But I know for a fact this Kildare team has been together since last November, training away.

“But this team has shown character all year and the goal lifted the team just before half time.

“We told the lads at half time that they had to work harder, which they did. I thought we could have won it without going into extra-time, but I suppose there were chances at both ends. We had a number of goal chances that went a-begging. Maybe we should have taken our points, but the lads on the field thought otherwise.”