Cork minor manager Donal Mulcahy praises team's reserves of resilience

While things were going away from them, Cork managed to salvage victory over Wexford in Saturday’s Electric Ireland All-Ireland MHC preliminary quarter-final.

Down by five points with nine minutes of normal time remaining in Thurles, Cork outscored their opponents by 2-5 to 1-0 in the remainder, with goals from captain Eoin Considine and sub Sam McCarthy, son of the legendary Timmy.

For Cork manager Donal Mulcahy, it was a case of the players showing deep reserves of character to secure a place in this week’s quarter-finals.

“We got on top before half-time, we got a couple of points, and we were quite content at half-time, we were turning around with a little bit of a breeze,” he said.

“They came out strongly after half-time and Wexford are a very strong side physically. They can hurl and we knew they would.

“They got a goal, kind of fortuitously, and they went up by five points but our lads, with their backs to the wall, they dug deep.

“I think our lads enjoy this knockout hurting. Not making excuses for us against Limerick, but we knew that there was a chance that you were back in again.

“We were disappointed with Limerick, but the lads showed massive heart there in the last 15 minutes. We brought in five subs and they all made a difference.

“We've been saying it all the time, if you're going well in training, you'll get a chance.

“Sam was going really well and he was unlucky not to start. To get 1-2 was a great reward for him.”

Considine’s goal helped to reduce a four-point deficit to something more manageable. The captain had started wing-back but served a valuable purpose as an emergency full-forward.

“I suppose we felt we had to go a little bit more direct, as the ball wasn't really sticking inside,” Mulcahy said.

“We had brought Sam in and we brought Eoin in then. They're two very big guys, but they're very good hurlers – even Eoin, the way he finished the goal, it was almost like a forward.

“Eoin has been struggling with injury for the last couple of weeks and he was tiring a little bit at half-back but he’s our captain, he's a serious player and he's a big leader for us.

“He definitely added a bit.”

And it all adds up to the campaign continuing at least for another week.

“I think Saturday was just about getting the win and reaching a quarter-final,” Mulcahy said.

“We said after the Limerick game that we were like five other teams, now it’s ourselves, Clare, Kilkenny and Limerick, looking to get through to meet Tipperary or Galway in the semi-final.

“It’ll be 50-50 but we’re delighted to be going in next week.”