Barry-Murphy: Rebels have come a long way

You should never go back? Not according to Cork hurling supporters, who were ecstatic when Jimmy Barry-Murphy was reappointed as hurling manager earlier this year.

When early league results accorded with the rapturous welcome back, all was right with the world on Leeside, but the man himself says reality was never very far away.

“I suppose with a new management team coming in, the perceived progress of the team, people got excited, but that’s human nature,” says Barry-Murphy. “We wouldn’t welcome the reality check we got in the league final but we have to get on with it now.”

Sometimes you can have too much reality. Cork were scorched in that game by a Kilkenny side clearly keen to trample on any green shoots of recovery on Leeside.

“The margin of defeat was pretty disappointing, in fairness. We knew there’d be a few pitfalls along the way but we didn’t see the manner of the defeat coming.

“It’d be naive to think Kilkenny weren’t capable of giving us a good beating but we didn’t think it would happen as badly as that. We discussed it and you’d have to be rattled by the manner of the defeat. There’s no point in telling lies. For all of us it was a reality check in terms of where Kilkenny are at.”

There were specific lessons to be taken from the game, he adds. Kilkenny’s ruthlessness at both ends of the field, for instance: going for goals up front and shutting the door in defence, as Conor Lehane found out when through on goal in the first half.

“That was a shock to us, certainly that the game was all over after quarter of an hour, let’s be honest about it. You don’t come back against top teams like that, so it’s obviously something to work on.

“It’s a ruthless business — inter-county hurling is a tough, hard competitive environment. Conor is a marvellous talent and learned a lot from it, and so did we.

“We have no complaints about the defeat, we were beaten by a better team on the day and to win any silverware is a massive task. We’re coming from a way back but I’m happy with our progress.”

The Corkman sees no difference in the way Kilkenny games are refereed, by the way: “There are only two titles up for grabs every year and the top teams are massively determined and won’t give you an easy opportunity. We learned that as a management team. We played Kilkenny down the Páirc but when the silverware is there to be won, these teams are a completely different kettle of fish. Our young players — all of us, including me — are learning it’s a ferociously hard, physical battle, and we’ve got to be able to match that.”

Barry-Murphy feels the players have recovered from the experience, though. It was a long campaign together and he sees the panellists refreshed by returning to their clubs for local championship games. That’s helped him and his selectors cast their net a little wider, too.

“We added Darren McCarthy to the panel, we’ve trained well, we had a good workout with Dublin last week, we have good competition for places.

“I think we have a strong young panel coming through which will be the basis for us over the next few years. Niall (McCarthy) is a loss but injuries happen and we have to get on with it. We’ve brought in some new players in since the league final, the likes of Cillian Murphy, Stephen Moylan, Seamus Harnedy, Darren McCarthy — I’m very encouraged by the players I’ve seen coming in.

“Obviously underage success is very important, and we’d love to be winning titles, but if we get good players from those teams it might not be the be all and end all.”

In the opposite corner on Sunday are a team that’s nourished itself on minor and U21 talent, though the first Tipp player mentioned is a few years out of those grades...

“I wasn’t surprised Lar came back, I didn’t expect to see him out for the summer. Will he start? I don’t know, I’m concentrating on the Cork team, if he plays he’ll be a major problem for us. If he doesn’t start, I expect him to come on at some stage, and obviously it’s a great boost to Tipperary to have him back.”

Other Tipp stars have returned from injury for Sunday as well, and Barry-Murphy points to the talent Declan Ryan can call on.

“When I took over the job, I said the two teams we were trying to get up to, in terms of their level, were Tipperary and Kilkenny. Now they have Lar back, Bonner Maher back, Seamus Callinan.

“Those are serious players but I’m happy we’re making progress. We’re not in any way fearful, we’re looking forward to it, but it’s a very serious challenge.

“Tipp are a very strong team, they’ve been in the last three All-Ireland finals, beaten Kilkenny in one and could have beaten them in the others. They’re at a standard we’re trying to reach. We’re still a bit off that, the league final proved that. We’re not fools, we all saw that game and it was a dose of reality. That’s what we’re facing in the Munster championship.”

There are implications beyond Sunday, of course. Barry-Murphy points out that it’s a quick turnaround to the first qualifier game: “If you lose, you’re playing again on July 7 against a losing team in Leinster. If that wouldn’t give you a dose of reality, nothing would. You’re in the knockout stages then.

“You could lose your semi-final and be playing Kilkenny or Dublin or Offaly, so obviously everyone wants to go the straight route. We certainly do.”

The Cork boss is hopeful but realistic about his side’s chances.

“It’s going to be a monumental task to beat Tipperary at home, the bookmakers have us as outsiders and they’re not fools. It’s a steep learning curve and we’re a bit behind where Tipp and Kilkenny are.”