McCarthy conceded poor ‘home’ form sealed’ relegation

IT’S never good when you’re as interested and motivated by what’s happening a couple of hundred miles down the road when your full focus should be on what a few feet in front of you but on Sunday Cork people in Armagh found themselves tuning into events in Semple Stadium, and it had nothing to do with hurling.

In the end Cork did the needful against Armagh in Armagh, but they didn’t get t any favours from Tipperary in Tipperary. And it wasn’t even that Tipp had no vested interest in their game against Clare in Thurles. But Tipperary were on a trap-door along with Cork and everyone needed something to save their skins.

“We were dependent on other results and the fact we were in that position n was our own fault,” Cork boss Ronan McCarthy said, , once news came through of a Clare win and the relegation of f Cork and Tipperary.

“We had four away games in the league and took five points out of eight - and none at home. That has been a trend, so look, our home form has let us down but there are talented players here. They do all the right things, they’re eager for success and we’ll keep working away with them,” McCarthy, doing his utmost to stay positive, said. “We kept up our side of the bargain and nearly got there. We played some nice football in the first half, before letting Armagh back into it in the second half. In the end it should have been more comfortable than it was. “We were responsible for the position we were in. We wewere close to beatinbeating DonDonegal in tthe laslast gagame, aand if we hhad ddone ththat we

wouwouldn’t be in this positioposition. We were depending oon anotherh resultl andd iit diddidn’t’ ffall our way.”

“It’s not where we want to be but we’ll face into it next year. There will be competitive games there, difficult games at that, so will be be tested. Derry are up there now. Our focus now is on the championship and a game against Limerick or Tipperary.”