I just want to win in a red jersey. It would mean the absolute world to bring the cup back to Cork
SAYS REBEL STAR LUKE CONNOLLY
HE doesn’t need to be told about the last time.
Luke Connolly will never forget it. Over a minute gone in injury-time after the second period of extra-time and Cork had the ball.
The referee had indicated a minute and that minute was over. But refs often don’t blow full-time while an attack is building.
Cork had possession, so they still had a chance. Still had a shot at knocking out Kerry.
It was a Hail Mary ball from Connolly but Mark Keane managed to get on the end of it.
It was a goal that injected a huge amount of life into the 2020 Championship.
But it sticks in the craw of Connolly and Cork that, having taken down Kerry, they didn’t kick on, with Tipperary winning a first Munster title in generations.
Having made his League debut in 2015, Connolly is one of the older stagers on the Cork panel and so has been subjected to more pain by Kerry than most of his team-mates. But he maintains it’s about the result on Sunday rather than the opponents
“I just want to win in a red jersey,” he said. “It would mean the absolute world to bring the cup back to Cork.
“It’s been an absolute privilege to wear the red jersey, I’ve loved every minute playing with Cork but there comes a time where you do want success to show for the amount of effort that this group has put in.
“We’ll focus on it as a game and not get too wrapped up in it but it is a final and somebody has to win the cup. We’re not going to shy away from the fact that we want to win a Munster and bridge that gap that’s been there for quite a while.
“I do think that we have a group that can do that but a lot has to go right for us.”
Limerick packed their defence against Cork in the semi-final and it wasn’t until late in the game that the Rebels eased clear to win by 1-16 to 0-11. Connolly wasn’t on the scoresheet but that didn’t bother him. He’d take another blank on Sunday so long as Cork get over the line in front.
“As a forward, scoring is your currency,” he said, “I’m graded on scoring, I’m not graded on how many blocks or tackles I make, as much as that’s a help to the team.
“I’d love a shootout if it meant I get loads of scores and we win, but realistically, that’s not the way the sport is played and I don’t fancy getting in a shootout with a Kerry forward line of Seán O’shea and David Clifford, who will lap that up.
“Yes, I’d like to be scoring but, to be honest, when you get to this level, there are enough fellas who can tap over four or five points in a game. If every forward is scoring three points per game and is also contributing in the backline with a tackle or a turnover, that’s going to stand to us as opposed to the one guy who kicks ten or 12 points, to the detriment of his man setting up one or two scores at the other side.
“As a forward, I love to score, I hate coming off the pitch not scoring or not contributing, but at this level, your contributions would be a lot different to what they would be at club level.
“I’m at an age where I’ve been around long enough that I just want to win in a red jersey, regardless of how it comes about.
“I’m going to take that whether it’s kicking 10 points or making 10
tackles.”
I don’t fancy getting into a shootout with Kerry forwards like O’shea and Clifford