CORK boss Kieran Kingston was delighted to bag the two league points on offer against Tipperary on Saturday night, though he was not getting carried away with the outcome.

“Of course, we are delighted with the win and the effort that our lads put in there. There was a great honesty to it and a great attitude about their play.

“That was something that we needed to bring tonight, the All-Ireland champions were in Cork, a serious team as is every team in this league.

“It was hugely competitive and, as I said, delighted with the win.”

Kingston had to be impressed with the return from a number of players, among them Robbie O’Flynn, but he was slow to single out individuals.

“Yes, Robbie was one of those that worked really hard throughout, he got his opportunity tonight and he took it.

“But there were others too and I suppose when you are making changes you are trying to give guys an opportunity.

“I would be of the belief that anytime 15 players take to the field, when they put on a Cork jersey I expect them to be competitive.

“I expect a performance and that’s what we are trying to do.

“I am not in the habit of individualising players, this is a team game. We played 19 players out there tonight and each of them did their job.

“We had two guys tonight coming back from long-term injury, Alan Cadogan and Colm Spillane and they got some game time into them and it was great to see that.”

He was happy too with the work-rate exhibited by the players.

“We were happy with that, we are not a bad team because we lost last Sunday to Waterford and we are not a brilliant team because of tonight.

“That was one game, tonight was one game, this is the league in the first of February and that’s as much as it is.

“This team has been criticised in many quarters because of its lack of consistency and in other ways too, but we can only answer that, if we get some consistency into our play.

“Tonight is just one game, that’s not consistency, we will judge consistency in three or four games time. Great to win, but we won’t be getting carried away with it on the first day of February. But it was a win that we needed.”