James Woodlock: Tipp did everything bar win the game

The Tipperary minor manager lamented a final that got away but couldn't fault his players.

COMING UP SHORT: Tipperary manager James Woodlock reacts at the end of the minor final. Pic: ©INPHO/Stephen Heaney

James Woodlock said his Tipperary team “did everything bar win the game” after being pipped at the death in an agonising All-Ireland minor final defeat to Limerick.

In an echo of the county’s U20 hurlers at the same venue last month, the Premier U17s mirrored the older cohort’s total of 18 wides to fall just short of silverware.

“We did everything bar win the game and it's just an awful pity,” said Woodlock.

“So much effort gone in by the boys, so much work, got everything right, and just on the day, couldn't put the ball over the bar or in the back of the net.

“I thought maybe when we went three up, we had enough done, but look, the final whistle matters once and once only. Limerick kept going and they probably got their bit of luck as well.

“Eighteen wides overall tells its own story. We were all over them for a long period of time and just didn’t get enough up on the scoreboard to push ahead. To score six points in the second half isn't enough.” 

Woodlock noted that Limerick had their share of wides (13) and missed goal chances too, but with Tipp leading for the best part of an hour’s hurling, they just didn’t put enough distance between them.

“Even in the first half, we were by far the better team and just didn't go in enough (ahead) at half-time. The penalty was a sucker punch,” he said.

“You need to keep the scoreboard ticking. We didn't do that and we suffered because of it.

“I can't fault them for anything. A couple of decisions, yeah, we could reflect on they could’ve done differently, but we hit the goalpost, we hit the goalie, we hit one of their backs, and the ball just wouldn't go into the back of the net for us.

“I felt that if we could get a goal or two or three points, if we'd get five or six ahead, that we’d push on and we just couldn't get there.” 

With a Munster title to their name, Woodlock feels this group are well positioned to push on.

“It lent to our poorest display all year, not a good game of hurling, but at the end of the day, there's a winner, it's Limerick and it's not us. We have to go away and lick our wounds and learn from it.

“Twenty-eight of them played championship hurling, that's development for them. Bring them down into the lion’s den, make them brave, make them resilient, and they have a huge spirit in the group, so they did everything bar win the game.

“They'll definitely be better because of it. It won't seem like that to them today, but in weeks and months ahead, they will.”