Incredible scenes in the pairc last night. First night that the new pairc felt like an uncomfortable hostile environment for our visitors. The noise down there, mother of God. Watched it back this morning, the coverage didn't convey just how loud the place was. What a rip roaring game. Possibly the greatest I've ever seen.
Whatever happens next week I think Pat Ryan has shown he has to stay on for next year. I was starting to have serious doubts over the last 3 weeks but a manager that has that kind of believe instilled in his team has the hard part done in my opinion. I'm still critical of the way he used the league and the the opening 25 minutes was appalling v Waterford but I was hugely impressed with last night.
I thought he showed real balls to have his team target Diarmuid Byrnes and Declan Hannon with puckouts. Hammer the hammer they say, by god did Ryan do that. Withdrawing Eoin Downey for getting a yellow after 20 minutes was ruthless. First time in 20 years I think we could use that word about our manager. We ditched the tippy tappy carry on for the most part and went route one, get the ball as fast as possible anyway at all into our full forward line and let the chaos unfold. I'm so pleased that Pat Ryan went back to the style of hurling that his successful U20s played. It suits us.
What pissed so many of us off in recent weeks is that we know the players are there but we weren't playing to our strengths. There was 26 on the panel last night, most of us here could probably name another 5 or 6 guys who we feel should be on the panel and we could put up solid arguments as to why they should. That's the strength we have. We just haven't harnessed it correctly yet ..... untill last night.
The ceiling for this team could be incredibly high if we get consistency. As good and all as last night was their is still room for a lot of improvement. The first 2 goals we conceded were comical, absolutely kamikaze stuff. Some of the goal chances were completely butchered again even if Quaid had an outstanding game. Ethan Twomey was excellent midfield but as yet doesn't have the stamina to last 70 minutes, ditto Deccy Dalton. These are all things we can work on to improve.
It was great to see the fight in Cork, Dalton needling Kyle Hayes was some battle. Byrnes and Hannon getting reddened (Byrnes was so gassed at the end he couldn't even get his hurly up to stop Kingston getting the ball over his head and then couldn't even drag him down, a foul there would have been a free, instead Kingston gets another 10 yards and we get a penalty) Brian Hayes and Alan Connolly had the Limerick full backline completely spooked. Pat Ryan shouldering Kinnerk was another great moment, showed a bloody mindedness that I hadn't seen in Cork in decades. Collins play acting to slow down Limerick was no harm either. We're finally learning.
I'd still be very nervous of Tipp next week. How do you get a team down from the high of last night to turn around and go again in 7 days time. Can we hit the heights of last night next Sunday.
Still though we're alive. Who'd have thought that at 6 o clock yesterday. Not me anyway
