Cork manager Ben O'Connor says character of U20 team came to the fore

Cork U20 manager Ben O’Connor was naturally delighted to have gone all the way to All-Ireland glory, the team winning every game they played.

“At the start of the year, we said that we had a team there to win the All-Ireland but we had to do it step by step,” he said.

“In fairness, we’re the only unbeaten U20 team in the country and that means a lot to us. There were questions asked, ‘Ye can throw this game,’ or, ‘Ye can throw that game,’ but wanted to go the right way, we wanted to win every game we could.

“We’re after doing that now and the decisions we made are justified.

“We’ve a great bunch of fellas involved in the backroom team. 

You couldn’t ask for better craic. We wanted to make it fun for the lads as well that they enjoy coming to training and they have.

“They’re after getting their rewards again today.”

O’Connor agreed that Cork’s strong start to the second half, underpinned by the goal from captain Micheál Mullins, was ultimately the winning of the game.

“Mullins, straight through the middle and a score then straightaway after it,” he said.

“We know our boys wouldn’t give it after that. Our big guys stood up and every fella got to terms with the player they were marking.

“There was a strong breeze there in the first half and we didn’t think we hurled but we were still two points up at half-time.

“We’ve been behind in all games this year and come back strongly. We’ve deadly faith in these fellas and at half-time they sorted it out themselves in the dressing room.

“They knew where there were problems and they solved them in all 30 seconds. 

Once we went in front, we were never going to be beaten and that’s not being big-headed or cocky – we know the character of these fellas.

“They were prepared to die and you saw that there today.”

Combined with the wins at the grade under Pat Ryan in the 2020 and 2021 seasons, it means Cork now have three in four years, with the next task being the graduation of the best players to senior.

“We’re starting to come,” O’Connor said.

PUSH ON

“We’ve to try and get a few more up to the senior level now and try to push on there as well.

“We’re unlucky to be out of it this year, the boys are doing good work above at senior, hopefully we’ve a couple coming from this and strengthen the whole thing again.

“It’s a long time since there was an U20 celebrated like that and the crowd on the field and everything.

“It’s a great day out for families, a lot of children here. We were outnumbered crowd-wise but the crowd we did have here, they roared and shouted for us and it’s great to see them after.

“Hopefully there’ll be young fellas walking out of here that say, ‘I want to play for Cork.’”

A number of the Cork team are underage again for 2024, but O’Connor wasn’t looking too far ahead just yet.

“We’ll enjoy tonight first and we’ll get that out of the way!” he laughed.

“A lot underage but that doesn’t mean anything. We’ll enjoy tonight and we’ll work on that later on.”