Finals are there to be won, says Cork's Sean Hayes

Cork’s recent run of poor results at the semi-final stage of the All-Ireland U21 football championship had weighed heavily on the mind of manager Sean Hayes coming into Tullamore.

Since the county’s 2009 All-Ireland success, three of their next four semi-final appearances had ended in defeat.

Hayes was anxious this latest crop would not become another statistic in Cork’s recurring failure at the second last hurdle.