O’Connor: The men stood up when it counted most
“I’ve been at a lot of county finals over the years but I’ve never seen the scenes that are out on that pitch there.
“The joy is incredible, you have old men crying and it’s just fantastic.
It just shows that fairytales really do come true. I could ask no more of the players, as they were just fantastic.
“Big games like that are won in the last ten minutes and that’s when men stand up.
“Everyone in our side was accountable in that regard today.”
At half-time O’Connor felt that there was substance to his players’ aspirations of securing victory.
Carrigtwohill le 0-8 to 1-3, had demonstrated that they were capable of competing with CIT and were in a healthy position as the match entered the second-half.
“We had a meeting with the players during the week and I said if we were level or ahead at half-time, I knew we’d a great chance in the second-half.
That’s the way it turned out. We gave them an easy goal in the first-half but the lads never dropped the head.
“We’d an average first ten minutes of the second-half really but then we all stepped up.
“Every game we’ve won this year has been tight. It just shows the grit and determination of the team. Once they’re in there and have the bit between their teeth, they just won’t give up.
“The defence were just outstanding. Once we got the balance in the team right this year, we knew scores would come from everywhere.”
In the aftermath of the game the Carrigtwohill players were unanimous in their verdict of O’Connor’s impact.
Yet O’Connor deflected that talk and insisted they were many people responsible for this famous success.
“It’s easy credit one man but one man never won a county final.
This is down to each of the players and the management team around me. ”I’ve a fantastic team in Thomas O’Brien, Sean Barrett, Maurice O’Donoghue, Niall Kidney, Paul McSweeney and so many others. I couldn’t do my job without them. They’re as responsible for this win.”
And O’Connor is hoping that their campaign will not stop now.
They will be taking a keen interest in the remainder of the Clare senior hurling championship, which is down to the semi-final stage next week, and will see who emerges from the quartet of Sixmilebridge, Crusheen, Cratloe and Kilmaley to meet them on November 13.
“We’ll enjoy tonight and tomorrow but we’ll be back working this week for the Munster championship.
“It’s a glorious chance for us to do well and we’ll be fighting tooth and nail for that title.
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