John Cronin backs Diarmuid Healy to shine in county championships

John Cronin has backed his Lisgoold and Imokilly team-mate Diarmuid Healy to build on his promising debut season with Cork when the county championships start next weekend.

Healy was one of the few bright lights for Cork in last Sunday’s All-Ireland final defeat to Tipperary, scoring three first-half points, and now his attentions turn to leading Lisgoold as they step up to Co-op SuperStores Premier IHC level and also Imokilly’s defence of the Premier SHC.

“Typical old Duds, nothing fazes him,” Cronin said, “he is a great lad that way.

“He has a lovely mentality about him. Sure we know well down in Lisgoold what he is capable of.

“He had a really great half. It was unfortunate with the sending off, he had to come off to fill a back position because it was really opening up at the time and his legs are unbelievable.

“Hopefully, that will stand to him in the county championship with both Lisgoold and Imokillly because we'll be looking at him now really stepping up. It is a good time for him now to be coming into a real leadership role.”

In terms of getting over the loss to Tipp, Cronin – speaking at the launch of the hurling championships in Mallow – feels that the Cork supporters must repay the great memories the team gave them for most of 2024.

“I know the lads personally and I know the management personally,” he said.

“I know they are going to be hugely disappointed themselves. 

There is no beating around the bush, the next few weeks are going to be tough, but they have given us a great summer.

“The duty we have to them now is we have to pick them up; they picked us up during the summer. In fairness to them, they gave us some unbelievable days out. Munster final, I'll never forget it.

“Even prior to that, the league final, the league game against Kilkenny, which came so soon after the passing of Ray [Ryan, Pat’s brother], Duds made his debut, it was great to see him make his debut and put on a great show.

LEARN

“It is going to be tough for them. It is our duty now to pick them up over the next few weeks. Disappointing, they'll learn from it and they'll be back on the horse next year no doubt.”

Representing last year’s SAHC winners Glen Rovers at the launch was Dean Brosnan. Having been on the receiving end of a heavy final defeat to Sarsfields in 2014 before the club ended a 26-wait for the title the following year, he believes redemption is possible.

“I'd imagine they'll re-focus when they are off on their holiday and that team bonding will be worth everything to them,” he says.

REBUILD

“That is something that will stand to Cork long-term, that they do have that and they can re-focus and rebuild and rebuild their character, and they'll hopefully come back as strong as ever.

“It happened to us in 2014. We were beaten by 16 points in the county final by Sars, heartbreaking – jeez, I remember sitting at home afterwards, didn't want to go anywhere, and just a year later we won the county. So it can be done, it is a case of re-focusing and building back up.”

Given his knowledge of the work put in to get to such a stage, Brosnan has sympathy for the squad but feels they can bounce back.

“I was on the Cork panel for a while and I know the effort that goes into it,” he says.

“They didn't perform on the day, and I've been in county finals where that has happened and it is heartbreaking.

My heart goes out to the lads now. After everything they have put in, to have that then on the day, it is very tough on them.

"There is one or two that are older, but the average age is good. If I was any of them, I'd be itching to get back next year, we'll wait and see."