Offaly boss Leo O'Connor not happy with Cork's 'cynical hurling'

TENSION: Tempers flare between Cork’s Michael Mullins and Offaly’s Dan Ravenhill. Pic: INPHO/Ken Sutton

Offaly U20 hurling manager Leo O’Connor was not happy with the ‘cynical hurling’ he saw in Sunday’s final against Cork. He said ‘it leaves a bit of a sour taste’.

“One or two things happened in the first-half, absolutely cynical hurling and that leaves a bit of a sour taste. But look, we were beaten by a better team. Cork physically dominated us in the second-half, that 10 minutes after half-time when they really pushed on. Fair play to them, they were a better team than us today. They showed it on the scoreboard, and that is the way it is.

“But that cynicism. An Offaly player went through 15 minutes to go, pulled straight to the ground. It was a penalty in the first-half. We were pulled back for tap over frees.

“We went to the fourth official, we spoke to the linesman. We were constantly speaking to them.

“There are things that happen and it is not our responsibility on the sideline. And all we can do is ask questions. As they wear on the sleeve, ‘give respect, get respect.’ 

“It is just very frustrating. We had three players rounded Cork defenders, they had no one between them and goal and three times they were pulled down. One of them was a penalty.

“Apparently there is no black card at U20 level, it is only at senior level.

“Refereeing was in my house all my life. I am not giving out about the referee. But I am saying you’ve got to question the cynical nature of what went on in the first-half today. You just don’t do these things.” 

On a more positive note, O’Connor praised the Offaly fans, adding this team will be back.

“The Offaly support has been absolutely phenomenal. You see the hunger that is there for this. And certainly we won’t go away.

“There are 10 of the starting team today underage next year. Three or four more came on that will be there next year. In total, 27 are underage next year. It is positive. It is important we get back up to MacCarthy Cup level.

“You saw the physical conditioning of the Cork boys. I know there are a lot of them underage again next year.

"We are a work in progress.

“That game was really, really tough. We didn’t give up on it. But a lot of things happened."