WITH THE PRE-MATCH fanfare more sedate this time around, Cork manager Jimmy Barry-Murphy says that Saturday’s All-Ireland hurling replay has lost the aura of a final.
Whether that is better or worse is a moot point. What matters is how Barry-Murphy and his opposite number, Clare manager Davy Fitzgerald, manage the difference.
“It has been a bit unusual,” the Rebel boss explained. “I’ve never been in this situation before. None of us have been.
“You just have to get over the anti-climactic feeling after the game and it’s the same for Clare.
“Training has gone well since. We’re very pleased with it. It’s just a case of continuing what we were doing before the final and trying to learn from our mistakes from the last day.”
By the time the sides meet again under the Croke Park lights on Saturday evening, it will be almost three full weeks since the dramatic final which captivated the country.
“We just took a few days off to reflect on the game and give the lads a bit of a break from us,” Barry-Murphy says on the long gap between final and replay.
“They needed a break from the whole situation.
It is draining for the players mentally as well. You’re building up for a big final and you have all of the razzmatazz that goes with it. Obviously there’s a lot less of that for the replay.From that point of view it has been pretty good. Training has gone very well and we’re very pleased with it.
“We just had a look at the game and analysed it and went over a good few things ourselves. We’re very pleased so far. The players have responded great to it.”
He added: “There are a lot of different issues in the build-up to the final as we all know, getting gear, all of the razzmatazz that goes with the function after the game, a lot of side issues that have to be dealt with.
“It’s more of a game now than it is a final.”
If Cork are to succeed where they failed last time out and clinch the county’s 31st senior hurling title, Barry-Murphy knows that they will need to improve.
Clare looked to have one hand on the Liam MacCarthy Cup in the drawn game but three second-half goals kept Cork within touching distance before a Pa Horgan point gave them the lead for the first time late on.
It fell to Clare corner-back Domhnall O’Donovan to fire over the equalising point deep into stoppage time — his first-ever Championship score — and force Saturday’s replay.
Barry-Murphy said: “Clare played very well on the day and people have made this comment that they can’t play as well again the next day but I don’t accept that at all.
“They’ve had three very good displays in a row so why can’t they do it again?
“That’s only looking for comfort for yourself if you’re doubting your own ability.
I thought that Clare were fantastic the last day. I don’t see any reason why they can’t play as well again. They’re a young team with no inhibitions so we’ve got to raise our own game to match them really rather than focusing on them not playing as well.
He added: “We’ve got to look at our own display and I certainly wouldn’t be looking for any comforts in the situation that Clare mightn’t play as well again. I think that that’s rubbish to be honest with you.
“I’d be thinking that they will play as well again and that we’ll have to up our game completely to have a chance of winning.”
Regardless of how Saturday goes jbm must be one of the coolest men in the country. Come on the rebels bring liam home.
JBM is running scare , he knows his team have no answer to the constant on slaughter from Clare
Im sure he is with Clare’s terrifying roll of honor. Jbm has fried much bigger fish than Davy an his small fish.
You would think you were not biting your finger nails for a point in non added on time! Clare can’t play better and Cork won’t play as bad. Verdict Cork
Cork are unstoppable…..once they’ve the referee on their side.which they’ve had for the last 3games why should Saturday be any different
Cool !!! Jim Gavin makes him look like a nervous wreck
Jim who? Oh right, the Dublin manager – who felt the ref was against his team (very cool attitude) – even though his team won, he still decided to take a shot at the ref ( extremely cool)
Yeah very cool guy. Jim …. Who?
Now back to the man in question – JBM. All Ireland medals… as a player & manager, hurling and football.
Now that’s cool. ;)
Jim Gavin one year in the job one All Ireland now that’s cool
Were u from nelly ya sausage cork the best county in gaa with the most all Ireland in all codes ha ha and no one near us rebels Abu
Jim Gavin, the man who said he’d walk if his team were guilty of cynical fouling after the Kerry game!!! Considering the 10 minute reel of exemplary cynicism towards the end of the final…Dublin are like Liverpool, always the victim, never guilty!
JBM is a real class act. His character demands respect. A dying bread unfortunately
Breed not bread champ
Sorry mark its that dam auto correct again. I will impress you in my next spelling exam I swear
It should never be a replay.. another 20 mins hurling and if that fails to find a winner, sudden death shots from the 65!!!!!
And if that ends in a draw the players then starting flaking the crap out of each other with the hurleys where last man standing lifts the cup for his county.
Similar to the Hunger Games, interesting idea :)
The dude abides …
“It’s more of a game now than it is a final”, says JBM. Maybe the quality of the final will be all the better for this.
Jimmy Barry Murphy is the greatest player of the last 40 years, a modest unassuming man, a credit to his city and county and club. A Munster man that those of us not from Cork willingly support everything he does.
So for that reason, the fact that he is everything that Fitzgerald is not, gwan the Rebels,
Henry shefflin is The best player of the last 40 years! Brian Whelan may also surpass jimmy Barry Murphy. To come think about it wat the f##k u smokin. Lots of guys in the past 40 years better than jimmy as a player. Wat a restarted statement. Don’t get me wrong, great player, great manager and great sportsman. But u my friend seem
To have an extra
Chromosome!!
If Shefflin is your candidate then you never saw JBM in his prime.
My chromosomes are none of your business by the way.
You Clare boys are in for a batein like ye have got all yere lives.
They should rename Murphys Red Ale to Jimmy Barrys, guaranteed to to boost sales…around Cork anyway! What a man!
A lot of whinging about the day of the game.
I suppose the press asking jbm question on his thoughts on the day and he is giving an answer with his views to said question.
Couldn’t agree more with JBM.This match should have been played instead of the ladies game and not next Sunday where really a lot of the fizz will have gone out of it.poor timing on a Saturday with people working and loadsa congestion with supporters comming in to Dublin on the same road .
Don’t see why the women’s football final should be moved,it’s a high profile occasion which has it’s date marked in the calendar since the beginning of the year.Move the hurling back another week if it’s so important to keep with tradition.
Bullsh1t..how many gonna b at croke park for the ladies… 30,000
If its a nice day n they go to arnotts if its rainin.serious own goal by the gaa here.
Replays are a bit out-dated. I can’t think of any other sport that still uses replays to find a winner. Why not just play sudden death extra-time? A final should be final.