'Awesome' work-rate key to Cork U20 success - manager Pat Ryan

Cork's Pat Ryan celebrates at the final whistle as the Rebels won the U20 All-Ireland Hurling Championship. Picture: INPHO/Ken Sutton

Cork manager Pat Ryan paid tribute to his side’s work rate in their All-Ireland U20 hurling final win over Dublin.

“I thought our work rate was awesome, I thought Brian Roche’s work rate in the middle of the field was fantastic, the two Roches are unbelievable fellas.”

Characteristically, Ryan paid tribute to the work done by his predecessor as manager in the grade, Denis Ring: “One thing I’d like to say is that a lot of this work goes down to Denis Ring and his group, they did fantastic work the last couple of years, and some of it was maligned.

“You can see the development they put into these fellas, the work they put in, and a lot of this victory goes down to them as well.

“We’re all driving on, we’re delighted with our backroom staff, delighted with our players and the management team that we put together - it’s very easy when you have very good players.”

Cork players celebrate at the end of the game. Picture: INPHO/Ken Sutton

The Sarsfields clubman acknowledged that the title was needed by Cork but also pointed to the grade as a stepping stone in player development:

“You could say that, but what we’re delighted with is that the lads have been great for us, there’s a lot of good players there now who’ll come out of the U20 group and we’ll be asking them to go back to their clubs and show that form with their clubs, and hopefully that’ll be a stepping stone for them with Kieran Kingston and the seniors next year.

“This is what it’s about, development, but we hadn’t won one in a while and we needed to win one.” Ryan and selectors Brendan Coleman and Wayne Sherlock were involved when Cork won the U21 All-Ireland in 1997 (with Sherlock also winning at the grade in 1998).

“We know what it’s like to win an All-Ireland, that connection is there and we know the bond that brings to players - there’s a great bond among those players anyway, and we’re thrilled for them.

“It (the title) takes the monkey off our back a small bit going forward. It’s still only U20 at the same time and we’re used to winning senior All-Irelands, but as I say it takes the monkey off our back a small bit.”