DESPITE another defeat, this time to Tipp, Cork boss John Meyler remained upbeat as he analysed the game under the old stand in Thurles.

“The Tipp goal in the middle of the second-half, I thought that we were coming, we were three, four points down and I thought that we were getting back in the game.

“We were struggling for the first 10 to 15 minutes of the second-half, then Tipp got that goal at the bottom end and that kind of killed us at that stage, it put them six or seven points in front.

“We got back into it with a couple of good points from young Meade but they were getting their scores easier than we were.

“We were giving away frees, I just need to look at the video to see why and where were we fouling."

Meyler acknowledged that it was a positive to be still right in the game deep in stoppage time when a goal then would have secured the draw.

“Look, we had a chance, Luke Meade or Michael Cahalane trying to get a goal, Jack O’Connor came in, the same but we didn’t get it.

“But I thought that it was a much-improved performance on a better pitch and we’ll have one or two more fellows back next week to try and improve the performance.

“We were without Eoin Cadogan, he has a chest flu and Darren Browne stepped in for him.

“I was delighted with the performance of Tim O’Mahony, I thought that he played really well and he gave his best, assured display of the year."

And what was the mood like in the dressing rooms at the break, three points in arrears but still very much in the game?

“We were in the game, just a few points down and turning to play with the wind.

“But as often happens in that situation, you think you have it but you have to work harder than what you did in the first-half.

“I was delighted with the overall performance but it’s just that little bit of composure at times and the fouling.

“The subs came in, Meade and Kearney, they got a few points and that is what this league has given us, it has given us more strength in depth."