We didn’t perform today admits Beale manager

DISAPPOINTMENT for Beale, obviously, and for one of their management team, James Buckley, the realisation that they let the opportunity behind them the first day, but an acceptance that the just didn’t perform on this occasion, and as a result were very much second best on the day.

“Very disappointing. Look, when you get to a final I suppose all you can hope for is that you perform on the day, and we didn’t perform today. There’s a whole pile of our lads weren’t happy with the way they played out there, and when that happens there’s only going to be just one result. The second goal probably killed it off, but we were never threatening a goal really. We couldn’t get the ball to stick inside in the full forward line and to get support for the lads inside.

“(James McMahon) was a huge loss, just from the player he is, and also his leadership. We just missed his presence.

“It was probably an incalculable loss really. It was obviously a big blow for us, we were hoping that everybody else would raise their game over the loss of him but it didn’t happen.

“The first day was the day to win it. We were two points up going into the last minute of normal time and they got a goal, a penalty, and for some reason three and a half minutes of injury time played in the second period of extra-time. We still don’t know why, and they got three points in that time, so that was probably the day to win it, but sure if you don’t take your chances those days it’s hard maybe to do it again when it comes back at you.

“We will see what happens. Hopefully, we will be back again next year.”