Few complaints, but Graham questions St Brendans goal
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Thursday March 11 2010
DE La Salle manager Eric Graham admitted that St Brendans probably deserved victory based on their overall performance but that didn't mean the Macroom manager still wasn't deeply disappointed following his team's dramatic loss in a pulsating Corn Uí Mhuirí final.
" We are gutted. ( I'm) disgusted with the way we lost," Graham said in the aftermath St Brendan's last gasp win in Knocknagree.
"( St Brendans) should have tapped that chance over the bar, but then they hit the post twice and when we came back up the field and got the goal I said this is our day after all. We won the next kickout but it just didn't go our way at all," Graham continued.
"You have to give credit to The Sem, they worked the ball out of defence very well in the second half. We were in a good enough poisition at half time, only being two points down against the wind, but they rallied and we don't begrudge it to them. They were probably the better team overall.
"We thought we were in a good enough position at half time coming out to play with the wind and then the early just after half time put us in a great position. But, again, you have to give The Sem great credit, they showed great character, they came back into the game strongly, and kicked some great scores. If we had gone further ahead at that stage I think we might have rolled over them, but that was a vital period and you have to hold your hand up," he added.
Was there anything Graham and his mentors would have done differently during the game?
"Not really, but I suppose I would have had two different umpires and given a square ball for (St Brendans goal). I thought it was square ball to be honest from where I was looking. I was disappointed with that decision. There was one guy in particular who seemed to be just standing in there... but anyway it doesn't matter now," he said in relation to the suggestion that the St Brendan's goal in the second half might have been a 'square ball' infringement.
"We are very proud of this bunch of players. They have triumphed over adversity. We have been nearly out of a lot of games and they have always showed character, and fought for results and today, again, they showed that character and fight and were just a little bit unlucky."
- Paul Brennan
