‘We will not be looking to progress, we will be looking to win’ insists defiant O’Sullivan

RESPECT for all those that tried, but failed in Croke Park last Sunday.

Respect for the way the players gave it their all. Respect for the magnanimous way they accepted their defeat. Respect for the effort shown for all of the nine months it took to get there and respect for their talent and drive to get back to the showpiece game yet again.

I have no shortage of respect for all of Cork’s stars who did everything in their power to bring the Brendan Martin Cup back to Leeside last Sunday, but for one player respect hardly seems like enough of a compliment.

Last Sunday Ciara O’Sullivan broke with a long standing tradition of players not speaking to the media after losing a major game. Emotions tend to be running high just after a game and for players and media alike it can be tough to strike the right tone of what to say when the result has gone the other way, but battered, bruised and just about holding back the tears O’Sullivan took her place beside Ephie Fitzgerald and answered as best she could the questions about her side’s difficult day at the office.

“It is the worst place you could be. I think we gave it our all right up till the last minute, the girls fought really hard. It is a horrible place to be. I don’t think we led for any of the match but we can’t fault any of the players or the management for effort throughout the year. It is a young team and I would like to think we will be back.”

There was fire behind the emotion as the Captain spoke about negative press before the final.

“Coming up here I don’t think anyone gave us a chance which for people who trained so hard all year was quite hurtful and a little disrespectful and

I think we gave a good account of ourselves and lost out to a better team on the day so we can’t have any complaints.”

Going through the game in her mind O’Sullivan was adamant that

Cork had their chances and was clear that this side will always go for the win.

“We brought it back [in the second half] and had a good chance and that is what we had to do, to take the chance but you let yourself open a small bit at the back when you are chasing the game – that did happen us but you either go out and be beaten at that stage by six or go for it and we did go for it and got caught with that goal [Carla Rowe’s second].

“We knew what to expect from Dublin. They are strong in the tackle and I suppose that is one part that we were disappointed with in the first half that we taking the ball into the tackle when that wasn’t in our game plan.

“We were getting turned over but we did correct that a small bit at the start of the second half but Dublin are a fabulous team – they have been there for the last six or seven years and we have had some great battles, but we are just disappointed that this time we came out on the wrong side of it.”

O’Sullivan and her teammates will take time to get over this loss and will take the winter to get some well-earned rest and relaxation into the bones and while 2019 will be another chance to impress the Mourneabbey leader feels that the time for progress is over.

“It really is hard when you are a player and everyone is talking about progress and development – you know this is my 11th year playing and I don’t think we can progress any more – you just want to win every time you go out.

“When we go out training you are not looking to progress for 2019, you are looking to be competitive and to win in 2018 and in that regard we fell short so as a year for us it is a disappointment that we didn’t win the All-Ireland which is what we set out to do.

“Obviously we will regroup again in January and we will go again and in the year of 2019 we will not be looking to progress, we will be looking to win but now we are bitterly disappointed and

heartbroken.”