'We had to make a statement': Tom Walsh salutes Kanturk's dominant win over Blackrock

Kanturk manager Tom Walsh said his side “stood up” and finally delivered the performance they had been chasing for two years as they powered to a famous 2-27 to 2-16 win over Blackrock in Mourneabbey on Sunday.

The result sends the Duhallow club through to the Co-Op SuperStores Premier SHC quarter-finals. 

The victory — combined with scoring difference — knocks Blackrock out, with Kanturk finishing level on points with the Rockies and Glen Rovers. 

Walsh’s tone afterwards was one of pride, relief and a sense of a group at last showing what they believe has been building beneath the surface. The Glen Rovers defeat last time out still stung, but it sharpened their focus.

“After the Glen match, when we sat down and reviewed it, we felt we left the match after us,” he said. 

“We didn’t take our chances and we gave away a silly goal. Straight away after the Glen match, we got back to work. We changed our focus immediately to Blackrock.

“Fergus Ryan and Kevin Roche with me on the line addressed everything we needed to address and gave us the platform to attack the final round with conviction.” 

From the moment Kanturk struck a penalty inside a minute, they never looked back. They led from start to finish, never once trailing, and never once folding even when Blackrock hit two goals to try and drag themselves back into it.

“It was a statement performance from start to finish,” Walsh says.

“We had a goal on the board after 40 seconds. We had to start quick and try and set the tone. We did that. It’s a brilliant performance and win. I must give our coach Fergus Ryan huge credit. He has come in and he’s worked very well with the lads.

“The lads have really taken to him, and there’s been huge improvement there. Today’s result is the reward for all that. The performance today is the result of everything we’ve been trying to build over the last two years.” 

Walsh didn’t hide from the significance of the win. Kanturk have been battling on two fronts, juggling football and hurling with a small panel, and the manager admitted the schedule is punishing.

“We have to turn around now and play football next Sunday. That’s a very big match for the footballers against Aghabullogue. But it’s always the way — we turn around a week later and play the hurling. It’s asking an awful lot of a small panel of players.” 

But Sunday’s display, he felt, was overdue — and badly needed.

“It was a good performance by Kanturk in anyone’s language against Glen Rovers too,” he states.

“Even reading reports after the Glen game, it felt like déjà vu — as if people thought the Glen were going to beat Kanturk anyway. We felt it was time for us to stand up and put in a performance and make a statement. It’s huge for Kanturk.” 

That statement has carried them into the knockout stages, where they will meet Sarsfields, the reigning champions.

“People will say it’s bonus territory for Kanturk, but I don’t see it that way. We’ll arrive and we’ll give it a shot. Regardless of what’s coming in the next couple of weeks, we’ll give it everything. That’s for sure.”