Mistakes must be fixed ahead of D-Day with Deise

LOUISE Ní Mhuircheartaigh hailed a new-found experience and heart in this Kerry team that enabled them weather a second half Cork comeback to win through to a Munster Final meeting with Waterford.

“It was an absolutely fantastic game, both teams gave it everything. We went in five points up but we know Cork are an outstanding team. You’d look up to them, and we knew they’d come back at us, but there’s this experience now with us, our heads didn’t drop. Normally our heads would drop but it’s a sign of the heart in the team, and hopefully now we can build from this and move on,” the Corca Dhuibhne forward said.

“We knew they would come back because they’re such a brilliant team but it’s the character of our team, we stuck with it and we didn’t let the heads down.

“We have (improved significantly). We were very disappointed with that performance (against Waterford). Waterford were the much better team on that day but we were very disappointed with our own mistakes. We needed to prove a point today and thank God we did.

“Another crack at (Waterford) in a couple of weeks. They beat Cork as well and they’re a fantastic team and have been coming for the past few years. We’ll have to knuckle down, fix up the mistakes we made today and try and improve on them before three weeks’ time,”

Kerry manager Graham Shine was equally pleased with the resilience shown by his players.

“We knew Cork would have a puirple patch and we just had to weather the storm. When they went ahead they really looked good, but this bunch of (Kerry) girls there’s unbelievable spirit in the camp.

“The one thing we set out today was that we don’t finish until he blows the final whistle and the proof of that was there in the end when we finished a lot stronger than Cork.

When (the management) came in in January we could see the girls had massive spirit and it was really just to guide them along. All the hard work paid off today and I’m absolutely delighted for the girls. I know it’s only a round two game agaiunst Cork but to get to the Munster Final is very satisfying.

“It’s great to be in a Munster Final now. At the start of the year that was one of our goals.

“Against Waterford we didn’t perform and we knuckled down and brought it back to basics and we’re back on one of our goals now which is to win a Munster title. “