Bobbie O'Dwyer: Getting full squad back vital for Cork U20 footballers
Cork's Conor Daly scores a point from Roscommon's Tomás Lennon. Picture: Eddie O'Hare
CORK U20 footballers secured a 1-10 to 0-12 win against Roscommon in the John Kerins Cup Group 1 contest at Páirc Uí Chaoimh on Saturday afternoon.
The Rebels won for the first time in the pre-season development competition following one point from the first two games. Despite Cork being out of the running to qualify from the group prior to throw-in, this was still a very important game as competition for places hots up with championship six weeks away.
It must also be said, the Leesiders have been far from full strength during the John Kerins Cup, with many players out injured.
Manager Bobbie O’Dwyer was understandably a happy man following the victory over the Rossies.
“I am very pleased to get the win, any win is a good win and after failing to get over the line in the first two games, it was very important to get the victory and I am pleased we have done that against a very good Roscommon team, who were unbeaten prior to this game.
"It has been a mixed bag for us in the group, a draw the first day out against Laois, defeat against Galway two weeks ago and a win against Roscommon. What will please us the most today is the performance and the character of the players, we knew we had to play well to get anything from the game and I am delighted we stood up to the test.
"We started very well, which is something we stressed in the lead-up to this game. We were disappointed with how we performed up in Galway two weeks ago, it wasn’t a lack of effort or anything like that, just things didn’t go our way.
"We were missing players on that particular day, but there were no excuses, just not good enough on the day. We wanted to make amends against Roscommon and thankfully we have done so.
The John Kerins Cup is now over for Cork with the Munster championship semi-final against either Limerick or Waterford on the horizon on Monday, April 17. The Cork boss is looking forward to the challenge in six weeks.
“The John Kerins Cup has been positive for us, we have got game time to many players, some players putting on the Cork jersey for the first time. We are very much looking forward to the championship now, we will get in a good few challenge games before then starting next weekend.
"Over the next two or three weeks we hope to have nearly a full squad available, which is great news. It has been challenging over the past few weeks with injuries and college games and so on, but these things happen.”
