Corcoran: Galway will have their day

Cork full-forward Brian Corcoran, who collected his third All-Ireland senior hurling medal yesterday, has backed gallant Galway to bounce back and challenge for the Liam McCarthy Cup again.

Conor Hayes' Tribesmen, who started with nine players 24 or younger for yesterday's 1-21 to 1-16 Croke Park defeat, were outclassed by Cork but did enough in this year's championship to mark them out as a coming team.

With the Galway minor hurlers retaining their All-Ireland title in yesterday's curtain-raiser, and the county's Under-21s gunning for glory in next Sunday's Erin All-Ireland decider against champions Kilkenny, the future looks maroon.

Corcoran, who cracked over two inspirational points in yesterday's win, said: "Galway are a great team, and we knew that.

"It was a perfect day, sun shining, no wind, made for a great game of hurling, with two great teams. Thankfully we came out on top, but no doubt Galway will have their day."

The 32-year-old Corcoran still had no concerns of Galway, who hit four of the first half's final five points, overhauling the Rebels' 1-09 to 0-10 half-time lead.

"As long as we were still two points up at the end, that's all we wanted," surmised the Erin's Own attacker.

"But we felt we hadn't played great in the first half and we were still leading, so we just had to keep up that effort, and lucky enough we got enough scores in the end."