‘These players have endured a lot of near-misses’, says Cork U21 boss Denis Ring

Cork U21 hurling manager Denis Ring says his team have “unfinished business” to attend to in this weekend’s All-Ireland final.

From the players used during the recent All-Ireland semi-final win over Wexford, Declan Dalton, David Griffin, Mark Coleman, Eoghan Murphy, Billy Hennessy, Chris O’Leary, Darragh Fitzgibbon, Liam Healy, David Lowney, Tim O’Mahony, Robbie O’Flynn, and John Cashman were involved in the surprise 2015 Munster minor semi-final defeat to Limerick. Shane Kingston missed that game because of injury.

There was another Munster semi-final defeat a year later, while Ger Collins, Ger Millerick, Conor O’Callaghan and Daire Connery endured All-Ireland minor final heartache 12 months ago.

“Between minor and senior, these players have endured a lot of near-misses,” the Cork manager insisted.

“On the Monday after Limerick defeated Cork in the All-Ireland senior semi-final, we had an optional rehab session in the Mardyke for the U21 players in the senior squad. Every one of them was there. If that doesn’t reflect the hunger and desire in this squad, I don’t know what does.

“We weren’t going to put too much pressure on them to show for the rehab session, but they showed up to a man. That signalled their intent. They weren’t feeling sorry for themselves.

“There is a feeling of unfinished business with this team. They want to go all the way.”

For Ring and his management, that sense of unfinished business is equally strong.

“We were so gutted after last year’s All-Ireland minor final. To be honest with you, it is a major driving force for us as a management. They say you have to lose one to win one. I hope that is right. Certainly, you do learn a lot more about yourself in defeat than in victory. Even as a management team, we would have learned a lot more in terms of what is required to get over the line.”

Centre-forward Declan Dalton, having injured his knee during the semi-final win over Wexford on August 4, remains an injury concern for Sunday’s game against Tipperary.

The Fr O’Neill’s sharpshooter was top-scorer on the evening of their facile Munster final win.

“The last few days, Deccie has done a bit of light jogging. We will be giving him until the weekend. He has been a huge player for us all year, both on and off the field. In all our practice matches, he has been our leading player. We will do everything we possibly can to get him right.”