Episode 18: All-Ireland Semifinals review.

I'm joined this week by Sarah O'Donvan and Elaine Dermody as we look back at last weekend's action in the semifinals of the Glen Dimplex All-Ireland Senior Championship. We look back at the key moments in the games and where both Kilkenny and Tipperary stand now after the games. We also briefly look ahead to the final which will be the third year in a row the Galway and Cork go head to head for all the glory. We also discuss who is the greatest camogie player to never win an All-Ireland and also the latest power rankings are out. We also hear from Galway's Ciara Hickey and Cork's Libby Coppinger and also Cork manager Ger Manley following their sides victories on Saturday.

You can follow us on Instagram at talkingcamogiepodcast and on X at talkingcamogiepod. You can also email the pod at talkingcamogiepodcast@gmail.com. And don't forget to suscribe to the podcast and leave a five star review on whichever plarform you are listening in on. We will be back again next week for a full preview of All-Ireland final day.

Transcript

SPEAKER_05 0:00

Hi, and you're very welcome back to the latest episode of the Talk and Komoge podcast. I'm joined again this week by two Lisa, the originals of the podcast, Sarah Rodovan and Elaine Darmerty. You're both very welcome back to the podcast. It's great to have you on again. Thank you, Joe. Thanks, Joe. Well, look, this week's episode, we're looking back in the two semifinals, and I'll also give the latest power rankings as well. So look, I suppose we jump straight into it, like two semifinals. I suppose inevitably you look, it was gets cock a go again in the final third year in a row. It promises to be another great final, anyway. The two teams know each other very well now at this stage.

SPEAKER_07 0:37

Yeah, I at the final whistle, I was very excited at the prospect of these two teams who dislike each other so much coming up against each other in the final with it all on the line. Galway are going back to back, haven't done it yet. Cork are obviously seeking revenge for losing the three and a row opportunity last year, and they've met five times, is it? This will be their fifth meeting, and they're two and two. Am I right? Two two for Cork, two for Galway. So this will really split uh the hairs in terms of the best team overall in the last number of years.

SPEAKER_05 1:16

Yeah, so we'll see anyway. But I just get on to the Kakini game. Look, I suppose Gaway contributed six points in the end, looking probably did deserve it. Like, you know, like Kikini, I think then he scored like three points of play, was it or something. So, you know, a lot of that was down to as well to how excellent Gawa's defence was, like, in fairness. But I felt at times Kakini kind of made it easy for Gaway as well, like with maybe some of the ball that was gone in, and like Kira Hickey got player of the match, and I chant someone after the game, and he was saying to me, you know, it's probably the easiest player of the match a player will ever get like because they were just Kilkenny were leaving her three the whole time, and they're just playing long balls after it's pop of her, and that's not taking away from her performance. But like Kilkenny kind of made it easy a bit at times for the goal back at backs as well.

SPEAKER_04 2:03

Yeah, I think I suppose just looking at it, Kilkenny played, I think, with the wind in the first half, and they certainly seem to set up as a containment kind of a thing, more so than actually really going for it. Now, I suppose you can't blame them. Maybe you know, they're they're a youngish team, fresh team at this stage, they're playing the All-Ireland champions. The last thing you want to do was be better in the first 15 minutes and it for it to the whole thing to fizzle out and maybe a bad defeat, and it could leave a lasting impression. But I just felt it was a little bit unkilkenny-like for them to kind of cede so much, I suppose, ground to them. And I mean I mean Ciara Hickey was like a magnet. The ball would just seem to land at her feet all the time. Now, having said that, Joe, I mean, you know, it looks that way, but also give credit to Kira in the sense that she has to be able to read that ball. I know maybe nobody is marking her, but she she was in the right place at the right time, and her distribution when she did get possession was was excellent. But you kind of always got the feeling that Gaway, like they always seem to do, they just have enough. I mean, I was looking back at some of their scores. They don't, you know, put up massive scores really in any game. I think they did against uh Tipperary earlier on in the year, but in general, it's very much you know, we contain the opposition and we'll we'll kind of I feel like they they they do enough, you know, and I think that they did that against Kilkenny. Kilkenny, look at a lot of handling errors from Kilkenny, but you're going to have that. And and some of the time, too, I felt that they were trying to pass the ball off when the pass wasn't on. A girl will be marked and they'll be trying to give the pass, and they're just learning things that they'll they'll eke out over time and a bit more experience, and a bit more exposure to this level of competition.

SPEAKER_05 3:38

And like like go away, like yeah, you said it yourself, they just they don't have to win games, like, and a lot of it is based on their defense, like you know, the bowls do just enough. I thought like Quiva Kelly was excellent again, like she scored three points, but her ball for the penalty, like you know, the ball she played for Carrie Donner for the penalty was a brilliant ball, like you know, and I thought the penalty at the time, like there's only two points in it. Like Kilkilly don't be too disappointed to go in seven points, two points down the house or seven-five, but the penalty kind of like stretched it out to five points then, and five points against Galway is a very hard league to overturn, like so did, because how good they are defensively.

SPEAKER_07 4:16

Yeah, I suppose at 21 minutes on the clock we were five all. And as you said, Elaine, Kilkenny had opted to play with the wind, so Galway would have been very happy to know that they were going into the second half, playing with the wind, having you know contained Kilkenny in that first half. And you're right, I suppose just after halftime, that Quiva Kelly ball to Carrie Dolan, the penalty was a big call, and on the day I thought it was soft, right? I just thought clash of bodies, both going for the ball. I I watched the game back this morning, and you know, with the benefit of hindsight, I'm thinking if he doesn't give it, you know, it is he at a loss then too, because technically it's a third man tackle going for the ball. And I'd love to know both of your opinions on it. Kilkenny have obviously you know rode their luck. The the ball has gone away from Carrie. Eva Norris looks like she's covered off the the possession. Um she looks like she's going to get it, and it it's gr it's Laura Green goes in and she kind of, I suppose, shoulders Carrie out of the way. Did both of you think it was a penalty? Was it justified? Was it not?

SPEAKER_04 5:29

Well, I can't I I agree with you. Uh Sierra, I thought in the context of the game and then some of the decisions that the referee was making, it was a little bit soft because he let a lot go, which we like to see in the game too. I felt Carrie was very was quite clever, I suppose, in a sense, in well, in win in kind of earning the penalty. I think it's one of those decisions that probably if it's out the field, it's a free. But a penalty is a big, big call. And I think look what I suppose if it's a free at some other part of the field and blah blah, it should be a free in there. But I kind of agree with you. I think a penalty is such a big call. And was she going to get the ball? Probably not. You know.

SPEAKER_07 6:06

Yeah, I think the danger had been averted. Joe, what did you think?

SPEAKER_05 6:10

Like, I was at the game live now, so I'd only seen it in. I watched it back since, like, and I did ask the opinion of a Kikini person there. Like, and she thought it was a penalty, you know, because she watched the replay of it. Like, she was watching it on telly. And now we're watching the back. And you said it was a third man tackle. Like, so by that it's a penalty, all right. You know, did she really need to make the challenge? Like, that's the thing. Like, the ball carried the ball had gone away from Carrie Dola night. So I know maybe she was coming in anyway, and she she couldn't stop and that, but for me, I think uh it probably was a penalty, like, yeah, to be honest with you. Looking back on it and I look back on it.

SPEAKER_07 6:43

Yeah, and I suppose she was on the wrong side of her anyway, coming in. You know, she she was it was a pure midfielder's, you know, tackle because a defender's going to try and get on the other side of her and and close the space to goal. So again, as you said, Elaine, if it was out midfield or out around midfield, it was going to be a free because it was heavy. But it did change the whole context of the game because as Ciara Hickey said in her post-match, that lifted Galway and it just set them back on course when they were, I suppose, uh having kind of kept click-hitting in the game, there might have been a bit of nerve set in, and and that just settled them. That penalty's definitely settled them.

SPEAKER_04 7:20

I think you're right. It's a good point to make about a midfielder. A cornerback or a fullback there knows, well, first of all, maybe their starting position is different, but they also know it's more of a shielding operation than uh an actual physical contact, I suppose. You know, you you you stretch out your arms, you make yourself big, you make yourself in the way, as opposed to maybe clearing out the player, which is yeah, you know, clearing her out, and and they look to get goal side, you know.

SPEAKER_07 7:44

The the like I would that that would be my my interpretation of it, but I did just feel it was a very it was a big call in the game, and and it did change the course of the game.

SPEAKER_04 7:57

Yeah, I it's one of those ones I think if if it's if it goes for you, you know, yeah, but if it goes against you, you're really like you you can be they can be peeved, I think. Yeah, you know, yeah, yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_07 8:06

It's unlucky because like Green was outstanding, her work rate is off the charts, and and she kept driving forward through the whole course of the game. Her energy levels are you know absolutely off the charts. And do you know what? I suppose the her her hurling needs to come on another bit. Her striking is just a little loose, it's not as, I suppose, controlled as the likes of Carrie Dolan or or even Derby Higgins or one of these players coming out, or the likes of the car players, which we saw in the game afterwards, but she's she's some effort, you know, some some engine on her, and uh that that's the starting point, and a couple more years playing in that role for for Kilkenny, she's gonna be some player.

SPEAKER_05 8:48

Yeah. And Elian, we mentioned this last week on the pod when we were looking back in the primary intermediate or primary junior intermediate semifinals, like with the scores that the news and he's got like Kikini, like 11 points, but like only three points from play. And as we said about the teams that lost the games, three points from play isn't great. Like it's not gonna win your many games, like and two of them came for under subs. So, like only two of the forwards scored, like the starting forward scored for Kikini in the game, like as well. Like, so you're not gonna win too many games at that level, like scoring that or for play, like in that really when you think about it.

SPEAKER_04 9:30

Yeah, I mean, I know I'm always kind of banging on about forwards and scores from play and who scores, but I mean it's such a it is such a big part of the game. And I mean, Ifa Pendergast was was good on the on the freeze, very good on the freeze, hit some real monsters, in fact. But you you do need more of a threat. Now, we can always say obviously the Galway defence were excellent, but probably Kilkenny in in you know, you look at what's in the forward line of Cork and Galway, they're just that bit more established. Look at I think I think Steffi Fitzgerald at full forward was clearly hampered by injury, and I think you know that that that freely and in the end I think she actually was was taken off because the knee just seemed to buckle underneath her. So yeah, I mean the forwards, I suppose we always say it. And and the other thing was that they didn't have much of a goal threat, you know. So if if they were going to be now, I suppose you could say the same for Galway. I mean, you know, they didn't pepper the the goal either, but the spread of scores for Galway is very impressive. The number of players that scored, chipping in, Neve McPeak, two points, Neve Nyland two points, you know, Ailish O'Reilly chips in with a point. When you have players, it's very, very hard then as a defensive unit. You're kind of saying, right, well, we'll watch Ailish O'Reilly, you know, we'll really, we'll really watch her, and the next minute you have Neve Nyland tipping over points, and you know, that's that's the threat, I suppose, is having that forward unit where if one player is just that bit off, that's everyone else chips in, and Cliquin just didn't have that. But look, we're saying this all year, Joe. They're definitely a coming team, and they are not patched down the road in terms of the way Galway and and and Cork are, but they will get there, you know, they certainly will.

SPEAKER_05 11:02

Yeah, that like Sarah on Klikini, like you know, as Elaine was saying there, they are not as far along the road as Galway as in the Cork. So, you know, I don't think they'll be disappointed to have lost, but I think overall for the whole year, you know, they look back at it as a year of definitely progress, and you know, they're definitely I think if you look at the two semi-finalist, losing semi-finalists, I think Kilkinney maybe they're in a stronger position in Chippery, maybe overall, like at this stage. Do you think?

SPEAKER_07 11:29

So there's six games from six up to the semi-final. They've obviously put themselves back into the top four seedings with uh that quarterfinal win over Waterford. That means they go into group one next year, provided the structure is retained. Waterford go into group two. So Waterford will be back kind of doing doing the long slog, and Kilkenny will be able to focus on getting, I suppose, real game time and under pressure game time, an intense game time for the players that are in their squad and you know around their panel, um playing the likes of Cork, Galway, and Tipperary in in kind of that segmented group which guarantees them a quarter final. So certainly a successful year from Kilkenny's point of view, to my mind. Will they be disappointed that they weren't as fluid as they were, say, in against Waterford, or or that things didn't come off for them in that way? But dealing like dealing with a higher quality team, you know, dealing with a Galway, I I was so impressed with Neve McPeak. Guys, like she is she is an incredible Camogie player. Uh like the way that she has come out of, to my mind, nowhere in terms of her control, her composure on the ball, the way she knits things together, absolutely top class against Kilkenny. And you know, Katie Amporter, Katie Manning, they slotted in there. Uh those under 23s. I suppose what I would say is different about Galway and Kilkenny is that Galway look to have brought their players through more quickly and and have kind of more experience or or more in-game sense and like uh an in-game management ability than Kilkenny's. That that's what I that's what it seems to me. Kilkenny seems to be less mature in terms of their in-game management piece.

SPEAKER_05 13:26

Learn from that game as well, like Kilkenny massively, like you know, like you're only gonna if you think you're only gonna learn from playing teams like Galwa within the court, you might have to suffer one or two defeats against him before you know you get to where you need to be. But like I like just on going, like when it didn't, you know, like the Lala Kelly, you know, to come off the bench, like Samilla Rabbit came on. I know she didn't she didn't last very long because she went back off injured with the finger injury, though. They truthfully look, it's not too bad that she'll be available for the final. And then you have Shannon Clark coming on as well. Like, so they just got to show that the depth they do have as well, like you know, like a lot of them players that come on will probably staff for a lot of counties, you know, as well.

SPEAKER_04 14:03

Like so absolutely. And I mean, we haven't even mentioned Neve Mallon, like we don't know what the situation is with her in terms of her injury, whether she'd be she was talked out, but whether she's you know, will be an option for the next day as well. I'm another another class player, you know, so they have loads of depth. And that again is probably you know what sets the go is in the Kilkenny or sorry, the go and the corks just a bit further away from everyone else. You've got to deal with your start of 15, and then you've got to deal with, you know, I would say maybe they have seven subs that any of those seven would not be out of place on starting 15. And sometimes that depth is just not there in other counties, you know. So oh look, they they carry down and pick you know picked up a small little bit of an injury if it done who, but I you know, I don't think they're anything too serious. But injuries are probably going to be you know a major factor. You hope between now and and and the all-armed final that neither you know group picks up any kind of a major injury that rules somebody out. But the depth of talent, yeah, it's it's very impressive for Gary. Seriously impressive.

SPEAKER_07 15:01

And that's probably something that will be to their advantage against Cork. Everyone's been talking about Cork and how they've managed to bring in new players. So the likes of Millie Condon, the likes of Ava Fitzgerald, the likes of Izzy Sheehan, really, really good. What comes after that group? If if you've 14 left the panel, you've brought in three or four. You know, I think Germany mentioned a couple of injuries, Ava McAuliffe. I think you mentioned Quiva McCarthy did accruciate. They've gone into their subs and they brought on their subs the last day. Orle Mullins obviously did really well when she came in. I know Haley Ryan came on. They did have to bring players in, but to my mind, the Galway bench looks, I suppose, more potent, more explosive than the Cork bench. And Maria Dillon, Alana Kelly, and even if Neve Mallon comes back in, like who are you dropping out of that Galway six? You know, Quiva Kelly looked like she was nailed on for a start. She was so good the last day. Neve Nyland got two great points. Very hard to see, you know, who comes who comes out for the likes of Neve Mallon to come in. And if Neil Mallon's coming off the bench, I would say that could be a differentiator between Clark and Galway in two weeks' time is their benches.

SPEAKER_05 16:20

Yeah, just like to say it. Now she wasn't in the 30th again, but the extended panel, she was down at 30. Shauna Healy was there as well. Like so she was actually in the extended panel. There's a few more on Ireland medals there. Yeah, so you know, just in case, just in case they get stuck, I suppose. You know what? Well, I've seen that to do again like that. She was there. She was actually down in the that call with G added up on their Facebook onion, and she was 35 actually. Like that had 36 girls got she was number 35, so just in case to get stuck, I suppose. You know. Like I just go on out to the for the Tipperary Cork game. Like it was Cork. So they had the game maybe one and a half time, like nine points up, like you know, the scored one-two there at a crucial stage around the 20-minute mark, which kind of there was I think there was four or five points in at the stage, and I was chatting like career manager James Hefford, and after the game, and at that he said at that time, when there were four points out, he said if they'd got them into half time around that score, he would have been happy. But then he said, like, they'd scored one-two in the spaces of a minute or two, and it kind of just took them out of the game a bit. Because like whatever we say about Golden going five times up, you're not going to turn around nine times against Clark, like, so you're not. And like fairly prairie just said scoring in the second half and they kept plugging away. Well, there was just too much to ask. Like, they got back to five, I think, on a couple of occasions, but they just never got any close. Like, they never really looked like it. Like they had the one goal chance, I suppose. Okay, so Brian, like Amy Leaf cut off the break save. Like, you know, but other than that, it never really looked like scoring a goal either. And that's what they needed, like, was a goal, I suppose. Just if they were going to come back into it. But like Cork, they always seem to be just comfortable, really.

SPEAKER_07 18:02

Yeah, Elaine, what did you think is a neutral?

SPEAKER_04 18:05

Yeah, I look at Cork, I suppose, set out their stall. I mean, I I I don't know whether it's maybe a hurling thing more so, but often the traditional counties would have always played against the wind in the first half. They won the toss and they went with the wind. So they clearly went that I would imagine they said, you know, we probably know we have the maybe the so maybe a mental issue over Tipperary or maybe a mental advantage, you know. And they obviously went to put the nail in the coffin, I would say earlier on. But to be fair to Tip, they came out very strong in the first half. But I was impressed by Cork, I have to say. I was very impressed by their movement in the forward line, in particular in the first half. I suppose it blocked up a little bit. And I love the role that that Sorka McCartan took on. I mean, not only was she a scorer, but she seemed to be a focal point of the attack. She laid off ball, she clattered into a couple of tackles and and one dirty ball. I remember one on the ground where she went in full stretch and she could have gotten really, really badly hurt. And I think one of the goals, actually, I think the the second goal he could have come off with, you know. So I was very impressed by them. I think Tipperary, this yeah, I don't know. I I kind of felt it early in the second half. I mean, Cork went, I think, 12 minutes without scoring in the second half, that maybe they were going to plug away. I just did never felt that Tip really had the belief that they could actually overhaul Cork. And I think Cork scored, I think it was five points in the second half, which they'll probably be a little bit disappointed with, but that they managed the game pretty well. And we have to remember, I suppose Cork have quite a number of players as well that are maybe not necessarily new to this level of Camogie, but maybe new to being starters and new to this kind of an occasion as well. So I I was very impressed by by them. And I I was pretty Libby Coppinger I thought was excellent as well, full back. I thought she was really, really good on Eamon McGrath. And uh yeah, I thought I thought Cork were yeah, by far the better team, really. Well, not by far, but they're significantly better. I would say the score line is probably fairly reflective of the game, to be honest.

SPEAKER_05 19:59

And like Cork, like everyone from nine up, like and I've all scored, like you know, the starters. So, like, you know, when you have that, you're gonna have you're gonna win most games, like you know, they all contribute. Like I thought Emma Murphy had a great game actually for Cork in their win forward, especially in the first half. She all seemed to find herself a space, like and she just set enough scores well then. She got she got like ones that's got four points, like so, you know, and she came off near the end, but I think that was just more because she ran herself into the ground like speaking to Germany at after the game up, you know. So like honestly, I don't think she brilliant it's not that they played bad, I don't think, but I've just I don't think you just seem to be, I think physically thought Cork were the better team as well. Like, but just think that was another key part in it, like you know. And in the first half, I just thought maybe Tipperary's defensive system just is a bit out of sort or something because they just weren't seen to cope with the Cork running off the ball and uh all that. And I think that's where the struggles massively in the first half.

SPEAKER_07 20:52

Yeah, I I listened to Ursula Jacob after the match, and you know, she said she didn't think anyone could have lived with Cork in that first half. Such was their energy, such was their grit, their intensity. And Emma Murphy epitomized that. I think it was her best game in a Cork jersey, you know, considering the pressure, considering the it being a semi-final. It was the work that she was doing off the ball, and the tracking that she was doing to get back to her own half back line was as important as the work she was doing to get into space to get um to get scores off. And we probably underestimated the loss of Guiva Mar at centre back for Tip. If you consider that she was there for the whole of the league, she was there for the Munchster Championship, she was there for the Munchster final win, she was there for all of the championship games as far as the quarterfinal, and then she gets injured in the quarterfinal against Clare. You're asking a lot for a player to come back in to play that position in her place when she's spent six, eight six months, you know, the with the bones of six months knitting that um defence together. So yeah, when when questions were asked of them. There was a lot, a lot of space. And by comparison, Clark's defense, very mean. I had questioned whether Maeve Murphy, you know, would and struggle in the space of Semple Stadium and whether she would be able to kind of do the role that I suppose we've been so accustomed to see Laura Tracy doing for the Bones of 14 seasons. But she was outstanding. I thought she got around, I thought ably supported by obviously Maeve Callan and Libby and Izzy O'Regan and the half back line, the the likes of Ave Fitzgerald and Izzy Izzy Shane. But I thought I thought she was very clever in the way she was always there and available for a pass, and she was able to pop it off. And then the ball out was a ball that was available to, I suppose, deliver to the forwards a quality ball that that they they weren't under pressure to deliver it because they were finding space for their half backs to be able to deliver good balls. So uh top marks to Maeve this time out. I thought she was excellent. I look forward to the battle with Maeve and Neve McPeak now. Neve is going to ask lots of questions of Maeve, and she's going to be very direct. And a couple of things in the second half for Cork and Elaine, I don't know. Did you spot them as well? And it just speaks to them not used to being starters. I think ball late in the second half. Ava Fitzgerald gets it in space and she carries the ball into contact and gets blocked down, even though she had an ocean of space around her in the you know in those first three or four seconds. And that's something that obviously she's not going to get against Galway. So it was probably a good time to learn that lesson. You know, you've taken too long on the ball. This is another 23, this is senior camoe. That was one that I noticed, you know, playing in that pivotal position of wing back. Like, who's gonna be who's gonna be her opposite now for Galway realistically? Who'd be playing playing against her that left channel? Yeah.

SPEAKER_04 24:02

Um well me backp could probably be the other side, but yeah, I I I can't put the name on it now, but it's obviously someone fairly obvious. There was a little bit of inexperience, you uh and I think I just said that there a few minutes ago as well. It was a little bit that there was a few girls alright, that maybe this was their first time kind of in this kind of environment as well. But I I was I was really impressed by Cork, I have to say now, and even at Gorla Mullins coming on, took her points very well too. I just thought they lost their way a little bit in the second half in terms of the delivery into the forwards. I'm not quite sure whether I suppose Tipper Air seemed to have that little bit more intensity and that little bit more drive. Um, I thought they were a little bit passive in the first half, kind of now. Maybe it was because Cork's movement was so good and the ball in was so good, but certainly I keep going back to Sorka McCartan, I thought was very pivotal in the first half, as just even breaking ball around or doing the dirty kind of the jobs, you know. And Emma Murphy was fantastic. I can only assume she was taken off because she just ran out of road. Yeah, I mean, I was tired looking at her. I wasn't stage, I think actually she would got the ball back maybe in the centre back position, and about 30 seconds later she's putting the ball over the bag. You know, you're kind of going to be young.

SPEAKER_07 25:15

Yeah, to be young, exactly.

SPEAKER_04 25:17

And I suppose she's uh you've just said it there, and you'd be obviously much more familiar with corks there than I would, you know, watching them much more closely than I would be. But you know, you said it was her best game, and the confidence I would hope that she would get out of that. Now, of course, your side of that is that now she's now a marked woman, people have been much more aware of her, so she's gonna have to learn to deal with that too. And you talk about battles. I mean, I think the are we talking maybe, you know, maybe Derville Higgins maybe now coming up against Amy O'Connor. I mean, there's so many battles like that, they're just they're mad working, really, you know.

SPEAKER_07 25:47

Well, like Orla Callan, like the amount of work that Orla Callan got through. I know she she got her a couple of scores, but at one stage she's down corner back, turning over a play. She wins, she wins a free out herself and Maeve Murphy turn over the Galway player. And the way she celebrated the turnover down corner back, that's the kind of work that they're all willing to get through individually to get the job done. And you know, to my mind, Orla has the best touch in the country. Like her the pace she comes on to a ball and it's a little snap, and she's and she's gone, she's turned her player. But to add to that, to be able to go back to the field and and to have the confidence to go back there, because sometimes boards don't have the confidence to go back to work as defenders because you could get yourself in trouble and you could give away a free, and uh you're better off staying out of the way. But definitely they they've all gotten used to getting tackles on, and you know, maybe the male footballers will will inspire more of that with with their work rate over the weekend and the way they obviously dispossessed the the Kerry footballers. I think the matchups for Cork and Galway in a couple of weeks are going to be so, so exciting. You know, Ifa Dunnahu, I want her on the field. I know I know she went off injured. I want her on the field, I want Carrie Dolan on the field. I want every single one of Galway's best players to be on the field on Sunday because this is our this is our showcase game, you know what I mean? And and we want the best of Cork and the best of Galway going at it. So hopefully the injury list will not be too long for both teams. I know Ashing Thompson played injured coming into the game, Germanly said as well. And we're not used to seeing Ashing Thompson go off the field. We're not used to seeing Ifidono go off the field when you know when games are in the in the melting pot. So yeah, definitely both teams got, I suppose, were got at by Kilkenny and Tipperary, but just not enough to make the games proper contest or or or close, real close.

SPEAKER_04 27:51

Did you think, Sarah, that the the intensity level was just that bit higher though in the Cork tip match than it was maybe in the Gaway Kilkenny match?

SPEAKER_07 27:58

Yeah, I I agree with you on that front. I think I think Tipperary physically were a better match for Cork, whereas Kilkenny's, I suppose, lighter players, like great to watch, but coming up against a team that has you know an SNC program for the last five years, Kilkenny kind of have to have have to get there, don't they? You'll be and I'm not talking about putting on bulk or anything mad like that, but it's just that level of of kind of conditioning. Uh, Michelle Tien, you know, is a case in point. I think she's brilliant. And Michelle Tien's conditioning matches Galway's conditioning, so it's getting the other players kind of there with her. And and then, you know, Tip tried a couple of things. Queiva Stakelin were used to seeing her inside in the corner. They pulled her out to the half-forward line on, I think it was Ava Fitzgerald, or you know, to I suppose to test her because you know, you you look at the points, the the I'm not calling her a weak point, but I'm just saying fresh blood, you know, maybe we can get change off her rather than trying to get change off Maeve Callan inside or Izzy O'Reagan inside. And I think Cork stood up to that in the first half, and I'm probably disappointed that Tip weren't braver in the first half and didn't get in their faces. Um Marie Hayes said the same. They didn't get in their faces in the first half. It was only the start of the second half where we start to see a bit of needle from Tip.

SPEAKER_05 29:27

On temporary, like just obviously, no, that's the eight semi-final defeats now in the last nine years, like and look, they have they're still they're looking for a good team in that, but they just don't seem to be able to go over the line like in the big games that matters. And where do they go from here now? Like after this defeat, like because they just seem on the pitch after the game that the players they just seem to be massive disappointment, you know, just for a lot of them, maybe I don't know, they've started been going there for a few years. Like it seems to be the same players a lot of the time there. You could nearly pitch it forward, starting a part. I don't know if you mistake them new deer this year, but where do they need to go from here? Like it's I don't think you need a complete overhaul, but I think you need to maybe go get maybe new players in at something. I don't know, because it just it's not happening for them like when it gets to a semi-final, like you know, and they said the first half, like you just were a good bit off the pace, I thought.

SPEAKER_04 30:21

Yeah, I mean, look, it's very demoralizing at the end of you know, they'd be totally demoralised because you build yourself up that this is the year you're going to do it, and it's whether or not they really, really have that belief, Joe. And I don't know if they do their body language in the first half didn't scream, you know, we think we can win this. You know, like like what Sarah said there about the mayor footballers, you know, it didn't scream like, you know, we're playing with a bit of freedom. And I suppose for a lot of them, they have a lot of maybe baggage, if you want to use that word, in terms of defeats. And I think maybe possibly maybe just maybe a different type of player. I think they have some brilliant ball players, like beautiful Grace O'Brien is beautiful to watch on the ball, Emma McGrath is beautiful to watch on the ball. I think maybe a slight more injection of maybe direct runners' pace, you know, maybe on the on on the flanks or maybe inside as well, just to give them that different kind of uh an outlet, I suppose. What do you do, Joe? You you have to if if if you you go back to the well, that's all you can do. You go back, it's this week they'll feel like they want to burn the hurls and they never want to see it again, but that that settles after a while, and you you know, you get back on the road. And you know, I suppose someone said in Mayo, like it's it's not the defeats that kill you, it's the hope. Do you know? So like you kind of have, you know, you always you come to the first of January and you have, I don't know, you always say, Well, just maybe, like, just maybe this could be it, you know. So I I I think maybe one or two, I wouldn't, I don't think it's a complete overhaul needed. I do think maybe a small bit more injection of pace, maybe somewhere up up front, just to give them that that little bit, little difference, you know. I think Grace O'Brien's positioning when she came out the field was very interesting because she almost assumed a kind of a playmaker role, and I think that's possibly in the modern game now. I think if you're playing inside, you're either a target player, I think, or you're you know, uh you've got a great bit of pace of voucher or whatever. And I think Grace, Grace's skills may be better utilised, maybe out there. And I think they kind of need to decide what kind of a game they want, what kind of game they want to play, you know. But I don't think it's all. I wouldn't say it's all doom and gloom. Tipper still and will probably still be in the top four again next year without too much stress, unless there's a major collapse, I would think.

SPEAKER_07 32:30

I'd agree with you, Elaine. I think um they're league champions a couple of years ago, so they they bridged that gap. They're mostly champions this year, again, another, I suppose, hurdle crossed. You can say that they're not good enough, or you can say that you know that they are lacking, but the alternative is that they don't show up, and you know that's that that's never going to happen. They're a traditional county, they've been in and around the the top four for the last eight, nine years, ten years. I really enjoy watching them play. Like their male counterparts, they are hurlers first. It probably comes down to that pace that that the court have. We can see that Galway have it, Quiva Kelly has jets, you know, Needon Island has jets, and then that experience kind of with Carrie Dole and the experience of Ailish O'Reilly. So it's finding that that marriage, isn't it, between that bit of pace and then that out and out hurling her hurling ability, which Emer McGrath has in spades. Emer, you know, was in on the top of the edge of the square, but she got very few free shots. Uh you know what I mean? There was there was no opportunities for her to actually open up. So maybe it's it's a case that you've leave uh sorry, that you have Emer batting down ball and and making plays the way that Sertia McCartan was making plays, and the likes of Cloda McIntyre breaking onto the ball and and you know, and and finishing those. So I suppose using the best of what they have in a better way next year, but uh still enjoyed watching them play. As I said, I think the Guiva Maher loss so late in the year, I think had a massive impact, and it'll be something they'll look back on later in the year and say, God, that was something that we were really not able to recover from. And the second point is Karen Kennedy was out of action for seven weeks prior to this game, and she wasn't as sharp as we know her to be. Um, and two players, two marquee players, not not supposed one not there and one not working at full tilt, hard to win a semi-final in in those circumstances.

SPEAKER_05 34:54

Yeah, I was just gonna actually say that about Karen Kennedy. She just she didn't look 100% fit, like you could see that. Like with one ball there, she was probably 70-30 favourite to win it, but the cog player ended up getting into it. You could see you could tell that she just wasn't 100% fit. And when she got 100% fit, like she's such a key cog at that to play her team, like, and it's massive. You need her at her best, like you know, if she had one of those.

SPEAKER_07 35:16

She's so good at breaking lines, Joe, when she's when she's at full tilt, and that's that's what they missed was being able to break that line, create that overlap. And you know, Elaine will tell you the you know, if you if you're not training for seven weeks, you the helmet feels weird in your head. Do you know what I mean? Everything just feels out of kilter in a big game like that. It's a repetition, repetition, repetition, getting all the training sessions in, and at that level, if you haven't the work done on the pitch, it's a very obvious come come throwing.

SPEAKER_04 35:48

Yeah, and I think it's in the position she's playing in as well. Like, I don't mean that she would ever hide, I don't mean that. But sometimes if you are coming back after an injury, if you're maybe in corner forward or maybe you know, even corner while corner back, maybe not so much, you know. You can maybe, you know, because obviously the lungs are going to be burning a little bit with the intensity because you can't you can't match that at training, no matter what you do. So maybe in a position like that you would get a break, but when you're in the thick of it, I mean that was it was uh it was you know it was feisty around that middle third between the two 45s, like it was it was fairly physical at times, and that's probably what it's not even necessarily like your hurling or your striking or your touch, it's that it's that getting hit, you know, that physical contact, you know, that's what you can't really fully prepare for it. And when you're in such a pivotal position, and and you're you're you're so right, sir. I mean, using your centre back, you know, I I I firmly believe your centre back is possibly your most important position, it's your anchor, you know, and you look at all the teams around that have their pivotal positions at at centre back, it was a huge loss. And Karen obviously did it did her best, but it just wasn't it wasn't.

SPEAKER_07 36:54

She could have been a useful marking Amy O'Connor. Or you know what I mean? I like I think Karen's a quality player, yeah. Or or perhaps she could have gone into midfield, you know, but she was plugging a hole that they didn't think they'd have to plug before the Claire game, you know. So you're kind of robbing Peter to pay Paul by putting Karen where she where where she ended up.

SPEAKER_05 37:13

Look, so just go again now, as we said next year and and hope and see how it goes for them. But look, I just I actually have a question for the two of you now, and I apologize in advance for not giving you more warning about this because if the soft question you probably could do a lot more time to think about and answer, but now there's all the debate, like you know, in hurling in particular, like who's the greatest hurler never to win in all Ireland? And you know, you could pick on going, who's the greatest comoge player never to win in all Ireland, in your opinion, how do you think?

SPEAKER_04 37:41

Jeez, Joey, definitely have to give me more time on that one. I don't know. I was I don't know, sir, if you've got an answer or not, but I I was there could you name one or two for me?

SPEAKER_05 37:55

One of the best anyway would be caught the van there, temporary. Like, you know, for me, she was she was different class, like you know, two to years, like you know, she was gone for so long for temporary, like she probably deserved at least one anyway.

SPEAKER_04 38:06

You know, I think yeah, I think Beth Carton, obviously, as well, from a modern perspective. She's carried that water for team and a brilliant, brilliant player, I think. Absolutely fantastic. She definitely one that would come to mind. But I could be leaving out someone very obvious now, so I apologize if I am.

SPEAKER_05 38:22

But you're going to think you know what debate like this, you're probably going to think of more recently, anyway, because we're not going to it's hard to remember back, maybe players from especially here. You wouldn't have seen as well playing, you know, from back in years ago and that as well. So I suppose it's a hard question, very hard question to answer, like you know, but but just something I was thinking about last week, actually, you know, because you always have you hear the debate in Hurling, like who's the best, like and even in that, like it's more it's all seems to be recent and players, like you know, it's just something I was thinking about, like you know, and I just thought I asked, just thought I'd ask you anyway, give you a curveball out of nowhere.

SPEAKER_07 38:54

Yeah, Kate Kate Kite's probably a good shout, just because technically she was absolutely outstanding. Her touch, jeez, her striking, the the point she scored in that club game where she threw the hurley and caught the hurley and put it over the bar. Like, you know, that's that's maverick stuff that both sides I I always likened quite to Katie Taylor. Kind of both men and women appreciate her talent solely. It's gender is not seen with somebody like quite because she's just so technically gifted. The the goal she got against Antrim in the quarter final in the All Ireland three years ago, I was sitting up in in the standing Croke Park and I jumped off the seat. It was something fra it was absolutely exceptional. They destroyed Antrim that day, but the presence of mind, the the first touch, the way she finished it. Joe Canning was sitting in front of me and he also got off his seat. So if yeah, Kite's probably the one that I I think Beth has a chance still. I'm not I'm not closing out the I suppose her career just yet with with Waterford and and you know, and and the fact that there's that there's next year for those guys, but yeah, Kite's chip has sailed, certainly.

SPEAKER_04 40:20

Actually, Jane Adams from uh from Antrim would be uh a late shout there as well. Just when you mentioned Antrim came into my head. Fantastic player speed, her balance was was incredible. You know, she she would she would be going one way and you'd still be going that way, and she'd have the ball over the bar in the net. Like, but I think you know, there's there's there's many probably great players, even maybe down when Galway had their barren spell that you know you might not you might not think of.

SPEAKER_07 40:45

Cork don't have too many bar Baron spells, so there was there wasn't too many, there wasn't too many slipped through the the cracks. And I'd say from kill from Kilkenny's point of view, it would have been just it would have been a disaster if Ann Dalton hadn't won her all Ireland, but she got she got it, she got there. I always thought Anne was just an exceptional multiplayer, distributor of the ball, reader of the game. So once she got hers from a Kilkenny point of view, I was like, that's great. But quite yeah, quite quite definitely. Yeah, quite unlucky.

SPEAKER_05 41:17

Maybe too much not to ask you who's the greatest cognitive pair of time like right now, or we're there for another episode, but maybe once again, Joe, you do, you're trying to go to the skill, right? Yeah, maybe a little bit, but but like just like obviously though next week's episode will be going more briefly into the I'll earn the final like so. But just for now, just go ahead and talk about it a little bit, like you know, and obviously we said it it's Cork Galway, third year in a row. Just that massive rivalry now, you know, as Sarah said a bit of a hatred there as well. Like, you know, I thought Gaul probably will go in start in his favourite, like you know, they're the reigning champions, they're the lead champions. Maybe they're just more about like Cork have lost, as we say, Cork lost a few lot more players, maybe from last year's paddle, and more inexperienced, maybe there, but just where do you think the game could be won or lost? Like the key battles I go, where do you think it will be win or lost? Like, and who could be the player that could make the difference, or would it be a player maybe that we're not expecting? Like, because you know, which can happen a lot in Ireland and finance, like you know, it's a player where you're not least expecting that could make could be the key player at the end of it.

SPEAKER_07 42:21

I'll let that one to you, Elaine, to start.

SPEAKER_04 42:24

I do know what, Joe, I really have no idea what's going to happen with this game. I really don't. I I think the the battle, I look it's fairly obvious in the same. I think the battle of the cork forwards versus the goaway backs. I think if the cork forwards, like they have been running up decent scores in their games, you know, 18 points, 21 points, 113, 216. I think if the if the cork forwards can can really even get parity nearly nearly with the goaway backs, because that go away defensive unit is vice script-like. It really is, you know, in terms of what they concede. I think cork are going to need a goal or two, which is going to be not easy got as well. In terms of free takers, look, you you hope obviously the two free the two free takers are quality, but you hope obviously that they have a good day as well because it's a it is a hard hard job and an extra responsibility. We saw last year settled by a last-minute free out on the sideline by Carrie, which which which she nailed. Yeah, there's so much there's so many there's so many battles that we've we've already supposed mentioned Joe as well. But I'm I'm really looking to see what kind of a plan that Cork kind of put together offensively to try and break down that door of the Gaway backs. Because I do think that Cork are probably gonna concede a bit, and I think they're gonna have to score. Obviously, it sounds obviously obvious they're gonna have to score more, but I do think that they are probably gonna have to to get rack up maybe I don't know, maybe 215, 216, something like that at least to kind of to get over the line. But I look the the youthfulness of of Cork. Work in in one of two ways. We saw it with Mayo last week. There's no fear there whatsoever. They just go out and they explode. They're not worried about it. They just, you know, they're not taken on board at all. But Galway have the experience, so nothing will faze them either. So I think it probably depends. A lot of it depends on Cork. I think they're slightly more an unknown quantity at this stage. I think Galway, we know what we're going to get with them fairly, fairly well. I think Cork. Yeah, I it it kind of I think it kind of rests on them, their game plan, how they you know, how they deal with some of the some of the Galway defensive units, you know, and can they break down that door enough and keep breaking it down? Because I think that's going to be where it's won and last again. Could be totally wrong. Obviously, planning the time a half. So that's where I see it anyway.

SPEAKER_07 44:52

So if Cork do get goals, it'll be a massive impetus for them to get a kind of get a foothold in the game. Cork have conceded one goal as far as I'm aware, and so have been equally as mean. I don't think Cork I suppose have come up against Galway in their current state. And I mean that in the first round game, Cork were brilliant. They caught Galway on the hat. Galway against Lil Kelly. And had such a battle all day long. She came away with three points. She's going to be a nightmare for one of the Cork girls to have to pick up Nyland, the same Mac Peak. There's so many holes to plug. That means then that the distribution from the Cork backs is always going to be of a lesser quality, I think, than against teams that they've played in the run-up to this. And the quality ball, the diagonal ball that Cork were getting and putting their players into space against Tip. I don't think we're going to see that kind of quality ball because of the pressure that Gaul are going to put on Cork. By the same token, are Cork going to be able to limit the Galway backs and you know manage their distribution in the same way as well. We saw the massive work rate from the likes of Emma Murphy. We saw the massive work rate from Orlech Alan doing that for kind of 60 minutes, which is what they'll have to do against Galway to stop kind of the overlaps and the and the quality ball into the forwards. Do both teams have a plan if their distribution isn't as good a quality as it was in the previous games? That would be my question. If the ball is going to ground and the players have to come out of the out of rocks, is it going to be Sergeant McCartin? You know, she obviously flourished in space the last day. If that ball if that ball doesn't come into her, you know, what does that look like? What does that look like?

SPEAKER_04 47:07

I think what she gives you is she does give you that outlet though of the 50-50 ball, in the sense of if you are under pressure and it's just a matter you've caught it twice and you're you just need to get rid. I think she does give them that option. She she caught a great ball down the corner forward position, stuck it over the bar in the first two minutes. I think she gives you more so maybe than maybe Aylish O'Reilly does. I think she gives you that kind of weaken, and it sounds terribly ignorant there, because lamp it down there, you know, and and you know, she she may be in a position to hold it up until bodies can get around her. So and I I often say this, I mean, we see it in the last five minutes of matches. The ball is rurried into the full forward line all the time, into the square. And I don't know why teams don't use it a bit more earlier in the game, not all the time, obviously, but I I think that that outlet ball to her in on the edge of the square, I think is there because I don't think anybody's going to she might necess not necessarily catch it, but I don't think the Gobi full back will catch it either. And then once it hits the ground, that's where you have your your Orla Cahalans and your and your um Amy O'Connors, I think, sniping in around. So I think that ball is on if they are under pressure, but getting possession, getting the clean strike away, that's yeah. Big pitch, big pitch, big area covering as well.

SPEAKER_05 48:19

Yeah, whatever happens on look, it's got promises to be a crack game, like, and there's not gonna be much in it anyway, because I think the two of them are just so evenly matched, like you know, and just come down to the hook of the ball, really, or maybe as I say, my favourite maybe ball come back off of both and whoever gets to the break first, maybe, or something like something like that. It could be just something like that, you know. Um look, hopefully it's not a mistake anyway, that you know, from someone or that you know, and hopefully we just promises it'll be a real game, but and if now look we've gone to the late it's a power records. I just now in fairness, there's not most of it's just on change anyway from the last one. So I'll just quickly go through them. From 28 to 21, they're all on change, like Ladigal 28th, Wicklum at 27, Lau 26, Mayo 25th, Monarch 24th, Heron 23rd, Killer 22nd, and Roscoma 21st. The first change then is in 20th, with Carlo down two, then up one in nineteenth is Arma, and up one as well in eighteenth is Kavan, and then are on change from 17th to 14th, with Meet 17th, Terry 16th, down 15th, and Meet 14th, then in 13th is Kerry Dalmon. 12th is Wexford, also Dalmon. And 11th, Leash are up two, and then from 10th to 1, it's just on change. Well, kind of a bit of a change at top two, but in 10th is Offley, 9th Limerick, 8th Dublin, 7th Antrim, 6th Clare, 5th Warford, 4th Tipperary, 3rd Kilkenny. And for this time, I've just gone joined first Galway Court because I can't separate. Is that on the fence? I'm not giving any uh either team motivation and either. But like I can't separate them anyway because I was gonna kind of give it to Cork maybe because they have 100% record for fireball. Since that card game, if you know they're probably more back to the team that you expect them to be, and they've they've they've won all the games since then. So for this week, for this colour goes and joined call many joint for a thought. And nobody can go even though recording for now anyway. So we leave it at that for now. Coming off just in a few minutes after this. I had four play after the game, two games on Saturday. I foreclair hippie of Galloway and Libby copied your cart. And I also four played card manager here manly thought. Obviously playing our call with Carl with favorite anyway, so yeah. Oh, we've played a favorite card in the game though. So that's starting already. My game's starting already. Anyway, that's coming up anyway, so don't forget we're on Instagram at talking comoge podcast. You can also get us on it at talking comoge pod. And if you want to get in contact with us via email, you can contact us at talkingcomogepodcast at gmail.com. Wrap it up there for this week, anyway. We'll be back next week with a full All Ireland final preview. And by the way, Elaine and Ferra, thanks for coming on again this weekend. At all pros, it's been a pleasure having you on.

SPEAKER_07 51:23

No worries. Thanks, Joe. See you, Elaine.

SPEAKER_05 51:26

Hi, Sarah. Thanks.

SPEAKER_06 51:27

How are you feeling now today? Back into another all Ireland final.

SPEAKER_01 51:30

Yeah, I I'm relieved really as well. So I'm just saying there the from the start of the year where we were with all the players gone and you know, we had a lot of injuries and stuff, and don't worry, it must get here today, I suppose. Got the group, so we're delighted to be back in the final.

SPEAKER_00 51:42

Obviously, the first half you went in a half time, like my head. Yeah, the two goals I suppose were the key in the end, like especially the second goal time again. It was tough enough at that stage, you know, but you kind of got one, two there in a quick section and kind of put your head put your back.

SPEAKER_01 51:56

Yeah, goals win matches, I suppose, and that was the difference in the end. The two goals were a difference. Tip had a chance for three, I think we three or four chances. And look, if you take your goal chances nine times out of ten, you'll win matches, especially in Kamoge. And look, it's our first two goals from play in the championship deserve, so we take that.

SPEAKER_00 52:10

No, look, within the ninth cup of half time, what we've said in the gesture of half time because we affected it strong to the very second half of the.

SPEAKER_01 52:17

Yeah, we went back and said we win the second half, we'll win the match. Do you know what I mean? And it's first we tip, but the wind was worth six or seven points. It was very strong. People might release it at this time, but it was very strong. They don't smob it in the end, thank god the last five or six minutes, but it was worth six or seven points. And I think, look, we were above that ratio on the first half that made a difference. I think uh that that gave us that bit of a general exposed balance that we could hold on to in the end.

SPEAKER_00 52:39

And looked a very good connection second half, and I had a great coach on here. I think it was great for Black Hadder, but Amy Lee put off a great save in the goals like that. Yeah, it was a key moment as well.

SPEAKER_01 52:47

Yeah, that's why she's one of the top keepers, I suppose. That went into the being fairly nitty-gritty for us at the end, squeaky one time, but give them give Amy your credit. What a phenomenal save because she had been quite during that for most of the game. But give Tip the credit. Look, they're at home, they're a very good team. Look, I think their time will come soon. Uh, just glad didn't today.

SPEAKER_00 53:03

Yeah, look, uh Emma Murphy had a great game for the floor.

SPEAKER_06 53:06

She's got four points as well. She got on a lot of barfield, won a lot of barfield.

SPEAKER_01 53:09

She ran herself into the ground. We we took her off near the end, and then we brought on um Order Mullins who got two points. So, look, that that position got us six points from play, which is huge from a half-hour line.

SPEAKER_00 53:19

I think all our forward scored from play, which is great. Look, obviously you've got now in the final, and you know them very well. Look at we all know how good they are. Look, our island and big easy one.

SPEAKER_01 53:28

No, I sure look. Look, we've lost a lot of players from last year. Like for us, any team beyond this is a bonus for us. Look, we're up to win it a court, but we have to improve, we know that we have to improve big time. They're a phenomenal team. Look, for there's line between us down through the years. Look, we've lost a lot of players from last year, they've lost a few players. So look, hopefully, back into another All Ireland final.

SPEAKER_03 53:46

Yeah, I think um released the the words at the minute, you know, it was right down to the wire there. Every ball was so important. Um, so yeah, we're looking we're just delighted. I think it hasn't sunk in yet, but we're um we're very happy to be going back there again.

SPEAKER_00 53:58

And obviously, look, having winning the game was in the first half, you just come out, you got the couple of goals, and it would have made the big difference in the end, really.

SPEAKER_03 54:06

Yeah, definitely. I suppose we've had a big gap now, you know, the last couple of weeks, and it's all been gearing towards this. So, you know, there'll be a fear you might not come out straight away, but I think we really put a focus on starting well. And I think the forwards really set the tone up there. They were unbelievable, they worked so hard for every single ball, and they were turning them up high. So it just made it that bit easier, and they really you know capitalized on the turnovers.

SPEAKER_06 54:27

Yeah, the forwards are working that hard defensively well, and it's the ladies of eating the bat as well, like.

SPEAKER_03 54:33

Oh, totally sure. Our job is so much easier when the girls are keeping it up there and we're happy out. So um, yeah, look, they're they're an unbelievable. I was a real team foreman, so we're just totally just get over the line.

SPEAKER_00 54:43

And so when you run half time there, what was what were you saying there when you were nine point up? But we knew the real role comes strong at you, didn't you?

SPEAKER_03 54:50

Oh, definitely, yeah. I suppose we were hoping for a big ten minutes after halftime, and at the same time we knew Tip were really gonna come after us um, and they did, no doubt, they always do. But yeah, look, we were we were looking for more of the same in the second half, more work rate. I suppose we probably would have liked a few more, you know, to have a little bit more comfort at the end and not be so close, but it was never going to be the case. You know, that's they're always gonna be close matches between ourselves and Tip.

SPEAKER_06 55:13

Um back to Club Hack now again in a couple of weeks. We're playing Galway again, so three and run up with yourself in Galway. So obviously they got to win last year.

SPEAKER_05 55:22

So that's all have you been that being there for you all yeah, has it? You know, get back to Club Hack and get wake up for last year.

SPEAKER_03 55:29

Oh look, I suppose it's probably in the back of your head we've probably started at the at the start of the year, you know, just looking to build game by game. We have a big you know turnover, a lot of new great players coming in. So I think once championship hit, it was all just about the next game, and thankfully, you know, we have another game and we're it'll it'll be a tough one, and you know, I'm sure they were watching there and seeing plenty of things, you know, we need to improve on. So um yeah, look, we're gonna go after it now for the next two weeks.

SPEAKER_02 55:56

Yeah, we are delighted. We are delighted to get the performance there. We knew it was gonna be tough to kill Kenny, like they never they never die, and they're always gonna be there there, but so yeah, delighted to be back in the final.

SPEAKER_06 56:07

Hell if you look at the first half is very tight, kind of back and forth. Maybe major but again.

SPEAKER_02 56:15

Yeah, let's go.

SPEAKER_06 56:23

And no, you think we're having push and push the end of the manager.

SPEAKER_02 56:30

Yeah. Human laptop, you're not gonna kill me.