Kerry Coach Likens Rebelette Crop to Cody’s Cats

Kerry had gone through the league season unbeaten but entered the final as underdogs despite their impressive form. “This current crop of Cork players are like Brian Cody’s Kilkenny every time you get close to them they effortlessly find another gear and pull away once more,” said Griffin following his side’s 6-13 to 2-10 loss to the All Ireland Champions.

“Cork are just a notch above everyone other senior team and have been for a number of years. And just like Kilkenny they blitz teams at the beginning of a game and try to kill off the tie as soon as possible,” said Griffin.

“They blitzed Armagh in the league semi-final and did a similar job against Dublin and Laois in last year’s Championship. It was the same against Mayo in the All Ireland final last year and despite knowing what they will try to do it is very hard to counteract.”

“They play with such pace and intensity and are deadly in front of goal. The one thing you just cannot do against Cork is concede goals and this is what we did on Sunday. In any other game our score of 2-10 would probably have been enough to win the game but just not against this Cork side,” continued Griffin.

It would seem that Cork are a dead cert to win their fourth consecutive All Ireland title this summer but Griffin is hopeful that if not his own side than one of the other leading contenders can mount a serious challenge to Cork’s current dominance.

“Galway certainly have the personnel to mount a challenge to Cork and if they can get out of Connacht, they could be in a position to challenge. Mayo, too, if they can get everyone back and it would be good for the Championship to have a strong Mayo side competing.”

“After that you look to Armagh and Tyrone to deliver on the promise they have shown and the likes of Dublin and Laois but these teams are like everyone else at present a good step behind the Cork girls,” continued Griffin.

“The problem is, if you go out to stop Cork playing you are in for a hiding. They have such strength in depth that they could put out a second team that would challenge most senior county sides,” mused Griffin.

Griffin’s side take on Waterford this weekend to book a date with Cork in the Munster Senior Championship final and despite the manner of the loss, he is positive about his side’s Championship prospects.

“There are many positives for us to take out of Sunday’s game, we played for the full sixty minutes and amassed a very respectable score against possibly one of the greatest teams of all time,” said Griffin.

“In many ways the game against Cork was ideal preparation for Saturday’s game against Waterford. You cannot replicate the intensity of a competitive game in training and as long as we go in with the right attitude the lessons learned from Sunday will stick to us,” the Kerry Manager said.