Cork boss’ assessment of Galway loss does not bode well for county

Grim...

In the end it was sizeable margin for the Tribesmen, as they won out by 2-26 to 1-18, and it felt very much like last year's final, when the Rebels failed to show up in the second half against Tipperary.

Cork boss Ben O'Connor was under no illusions of the performance of his men, and his words after the game will not encourage a fan base who ARE consistently disappointed by their underachieving and underperforming county.

O'Connor said: "Very disappointed. Disappointed for the supporters that came up, disappointed for the lads more than anything else, because there's been a fierce effort put in since last November

"And I suppose it's them who are going to suffer for the next few days. There'll be a lot of soul searching going on with them.

"But look, we were beaten by the better team, we were outworked, they hurled better than us, and we were just not at the races."

Teams and scorers:

Scorers for Cork: B. Hayes (0-7); A. Connolly (0-4, 3 frees); A. Walsh (1-0); S. Barrett (0-3, 1 free) D. Fitzgibbon (0-2); W. Buckley, B. Walsh (free) (0-1 each).

Scorers for Galway: T. Monaghan (0-4); C. Cooney (1-1); A. Niland (frees), J. Rabbitte, R. Glennon, C. Mannion (1 free), C. Whelan (0-3 each); D. Neary (1-0); G. Lee (0-2); T. Killeen, D. Morrissey, P. Mannion, J. Fleming (0-1 each).

GALWAY: D. Fahy; D. Burke, C. Trayers, J. Ryan; P. Mannion, D. Morrissey (c), R. Glennon; T. Killeen, G. Lee; D. Neary, C. Mannion, T. Monaghan; C. Whelan, J. Rabbitte, A. Niland.

Subs for Galway: C. Daniels for P. Mannion (temp, 15-16); C. Cooney for A. Niland (47); C. Daniels for J. Ryan (56); J. Fleming for T. Killeen (62); B. Concannon for G. Lee (66).

CORK: P. Collins; N. O’Leary, D. Cahalane, S. O’Donoghue; E. Downey, R. Downey, M. Coleman; T. O’Mahony, T. O’Connell; D. Fitzgibbon (c)¸ S. Barrett, D. Healy; A. Connolly, A. Walsh, B. Hayes.

Subs for Cork: C. O’Brien for D. Cahalane (h-t); R. O’Flynn for T. O’Connell (48); W. Buckley for A. Connolly (51); B. Walsh for A. Walsh (52); G. Millerick for E. Downey (inj, 61).

Red card: D. Fitzgibbon (second yellow, 56).

Referee: J. Murphy (Limerick).