Kieran O'Shea hails work-rate in Cork's All-Ireland success

Cork manager Kieran O’Shea said that a strong work ethic provided the foundation for his side’s emphatic All-Ireland U18 Ladies Football Championship final triumph over Dublin at Grant Heating St Brendan’s Park in Birr on Saturday.

Twelve points clear at the interval after taking the game to their opponents from the word go, the Leesiders held off a spirited second half display from Dublin to claim their 13th title at this grade on a final score of 3-11 to 3-2. 

A member of the Ilen Rovers club in West Cork, Kate Carey’s impressive personal haul of 2-3 made her a popular choice for player of the match on the day.

Yet while Carey was clinical with the opportunities that came her way, O’Shea acknowledged the industry of her team-mates was a significant factor behind her memorable attacking display.

“All those scores, they’re all set outside the field. I’ve said it before, the bedrock of our team is the work-rate, the honesty and effort that everybody puts in. Of course then, Kate is on the end of those and she’s a fantastic finisher,” a jubilant O’Shea remarked after Saturday’s game.

“What I was very pleased about, we said it to the forwards today. Be brave, take your player on, go for it. 

"Don’t be shying away from anything and in fairness she [Carey] did, she took it on. Got through there and got some lovely scores.”

BOOST

When you consider Cork lost to Dublin by 17 points (3-15 to 0-7) at the quarter-final stage of the All-Ireland senior championship earlier this month, this victory comes as a welcome boost for ladies football in the county.

Of course, the Leesiders have always enjoyed a strong pedigree in this competition with Saturday’s final success being a sixth since their rivals Dublin last lifted top-tier national honours at this age grade in 2012.

Nevertheless, with the work of O’Shea and his management team being backed up by those who oversee the various development squads in Cork, he believes a bright future lies ahead for this group of U18 footballers.

“Some of the girls there now will be stepping up hopefully to the senior ranks next year. 

"They’ll have that confidence and belief having won an All-Ireland final going into that and I’m sure that will give more energy into the group as well. To have new players into a senior set-up as well, it pushes and drives everybody on. They’re a fantastic bunch of girls,” O’Shea added.

“You see here today the minors, but nobody sees the work that is going on in the background. 

"There’s U13, U15, U17 development going all this year.

 There’s Trojan work going on there with people, coaches all over the county. Organising blitzes and giving up their time for nothing.

“Basically they’re getting these squads and players up and running. 

"Then you’ve all the work going on in the clubs and it just feeds into this team. Without that work, we wouldn’t have these players here today.”