All in a day’s work for measured O’Shea

Eamon O’Shea was his measured self after the final whistle yesterday in Semple Stadium.

Certainly the game he’d just witnessed wouldn’t have disturbed his equilibrium that much: his team had scored 4-20, after all, to reach a first national final under his stewardship.

“We’re very pleased, we didn’t have a good start to the league,” said O’Shea.

“It’s good to be playing more competitive games, and that’s why I’m in favour of extending the league, to have more teams in it, which would benefit the game.

“Hurling is a fantastic game and the more chances to have good teams play against each other the better.

“I think the more games we have the better – it’s a difficult market out there with every other sport and I feel counties that aren’t in the top three or four need more games against the top teams.”

O’Shea was naturally keen to praise his own players following this display.

“It’s very competitive in our squad, in our camp, and when they get on the pitch they have to do as well as they can.

“It’s pleasing today but I’d have to say that’s about all it was. I’m not trying to underplay it, it’s really good to be in a final. It’s just that you have to keep on working really hard to achieve anything.

“Every day is different, you can’t rest. You just try to get better – some days it does (go your way), and some days it doesn’t. It’s ok today.

“It’s really nice for the players – when you’re coming in and doing well in training, I’m a great believer in giving everybody an opportunity as much as possible. So from that point of view, it was pleasing.”

O’Shea was reluctant to attach too much importance to the result however.

“I hadn’t thought past this game and that’s being truthful. It didn’t really go for Dublin today but they are a strong team.

“It will be an interesting final. Whether it resonates further down the line, you can’t really be sure until it actually does.

“We won’t be putting any special significance to it – I can tell you that right now, except it’s a game.”

Anthony Daly was owning up to concerns in the other dressing room.

“Of course, but look these are the ups and downs of a season. We were delighted two weeks ago here.

“It’s a bit of a kick now there but the only thing is we knew we would be going down to Wexford anyway on June 8 and that’s target date for us.

“The league has been fairly ok to us. It’s disappointing to finish like that — I thought we were going to put up a big performance. I don’t know whether we did too much training the last ten days or whatever but we had to drive on as well with our training. It’s down into Wexford now and there won’t be too much talk about us — the phone will be fairly quiet now. Look, what can you do? You have to come out and go train Tuesday night.”

Daly also sounded a note of warning for Tipperary ahead of the championship: “I still think there is more to it than just division 1 and division 2 and there’ll be fellas all telling you that’s what it was tomorrow but we have only been out of division 1 for five or six matches.

“We played Limerick twice and they are as good as what’s out there and Limerick will put it up to them (Tipperary) in the championship, they will fight and won’t let them go to the ball like we let them go to the ball.”