DELIGHTED Cork manager Ger Manley hailed his All-Ireland winning heroes as ‘a team of their generation’ after their latest success.
The Rebels beat Galway in Sunday’s final to make it back-to-back O’Duffy Cups, and after losing the 2021 and ’22 deciders, Cork have now made it two in a row, with Manley hailing the team’s stalwarts, as well as coach Liam Cronin for his influence.
‘We’ve been on the wrong side of these results over the years. This is our fourth final in a row and we lost two we should have won. But these are a team of their generation,’ Manley said.
‘They’re so good. You’ve Laura Treacy, (Ashling) Thompson, the Mackeys (Katrina and Pamela), Amy O’Connor, Laura Hayes. Méabh Cahalane came on after a hamstring tendon injury that’s supposed to keep you out three months. We put a lot in, so did Galway but we were a small bit better I think.
‘Mackey tore her hamstring and was a loss as she was going well. And when Galway came at us, we held our nerve. The losses build that character. And we have a brilliant coach in Liam Cronin. He’s the best I’ve ever worked with.’
‘We felt we’ve left a few after us so to win two is a great. You have to battle. There’s nothing easy up here.’
