'I'd put Cork in the first one or two for the All-Ireland' insists Fitzgerald after Déise defeat

The visitors were outgunned after the break on Leeside.

Mon, 26 Feb, 2024 - 06:44

Eoghan Cormican

Pat Ryan was the first of the two managers into the media room underneath the South Stand.

Ryan stated that if Cork can sustain their running and rousing 20 minutes after half-time for the full 70 then “we'll be a very good team going forward this year”.

Davy Fitzgerald was next into the room. He went several steps further than his Cork counterpart. He announced that he’d have Cork in the top two when it comes to Liam MacCarthy contenders for 2024.

Fitzgerald was trying to explain his own team’s third-quarter no-show when he turned to Cork and tipped a barrow of praise at their dressing-room door.

“When Cork are in full flow, I think they're an incredible team. My honest opinion is that I'd put Cork in the first one or two for the All-Ireland, I think they're right up there. And that's not playing games. I believe they have that talent,” said the Waterford manager.

And yet for all of that, Davy also felt that if his team got another three minutes at the end then Waterford “are winning that game”.

Back to the third quarter. It was once more the Déise’s undoing.

“I think Cork are one of the best teams out there. But we made them look exceptionally good with the way we let them run at us. We stood off.

“We've tried to say there isn't a problem, that we're imagining it, but we're not. It happened in the Offaly game, it happened in the Clare game, and it happened again today.

“If we sort that... like, we could have taken points in the last two games. And I know we can say we're missing loads. It's just annoying.”

Of the missing faces, Stephen Bennett’s hamstring injury from the Clare defeat will sideline him for up to seven weeks.

“Ian Kenny, Iarlaith Daly, Conor Prunty, Stephen Bennett, Dessie, Shane Bennett, there are eight or nine fellas who I need to get game-time into more than anything else. It is grand saying they are coming back but I need to get the games into them.”

Pat Ryan was not alone thankful to get gametime into some of his returning faces, but equally pleased with their contribution. Jack O’Connor struck 1-3 on his first competitive start since March 19 of last year.

“Jack missed almost all of last year with his shins, so it’s great to have him back. You can see the bit of extra pace he can bring to it and the X-factor that he has.”

Séamus Harnedy, in his first appearance of 2024, and league debutant Brion Saunderson also drew complimentary words.

“Séamus is a huge player for us going forward. In the last period, he probably tired a small bit and we had the opportunity to take him off, but we’re delighted he came through it.

“Brion is after coming forward for us, he had a great year last year with Midleton and the Cork U20s. We’re delighted with him today.”