Time to knuckle down: John Sugrue

4 March 2020; Kerry manager John Sugrue during the EirGrid Munster GAA Football U20 Championship Final match between Kerry and Cork at Austin Stack Park in Tralee, Kerry. Photo by Piaras Ó Mídheach/Sportsfile

Reaction

Kerry manager John Sugrue wants his players to push on and add All-Ireland silverware to the provincial crown annexed yesterday evening.

Kerry last tasted All-Ireland success at this grade, formerly U21, in 2008.

“We have spoken about our presence on a provincial and national scale over the last 20 years. We have just sorted out the province. Now, it is time to knuckle down again,” said Sugrue.

“We have got a chance now so we will put our heads down and see can we take our chance.”

The winning manager was grateful for the second-half display of inside forward Ruaidhri Ó Beaglaoich, the Dingle youngster leading their comeback charge.

“Ruaidhri has come in there and done a great job tonight, he has got a good run of form going. We are very grateful to Ruaidhri for his performance tonight. Lots of fellas worked very hard out the field, as well.”

Subs Sean Keane and Sean Quilter were also key contributors to the win, kicking late points to take Kerry out of sight.

“We got a good return from the bench. We had training last Friday, where the guys who hadn’t seen much game-time in the semi-final really put their shoulder to the wheel. The door is open for every fella who keeps his focus right.”

But while the manager was most pleased with what his charges produced upon the change of ends, their first-half display was way off the mark.

“Our turnovers were particularly poor in the first-half. It was [quite the turnaround], but it needed to be. We were not at the races in the first-half, probably lucky enough to go in only four down. Our guys settled reasonably well in the second half and put good shape to it.

“Cork dominated the first-half on long kick-outs. With them changing their goalkeeper, it probably threw our fellas a small bit in the first-half. Thankfully, we adopted to it, got ourselves back in the game, and established a foothold in that department.”

Cork manager Keith Ricken lamented how the tie went away from them in the second-half.

“The lads are unbelievably disappointed. We played well in patches. The lads are devastated with regard to the second half.

“This grade is about character building, and character building is on both sides, winning and losing. There was no one particular fault. We didn’t take our chances in the second-half, they did.”