Evening Echo
by John Horgan
10th March 2003

National Hurling League
Cork 2-14    Wexford 1-10
Wexford Park, 9th March 2003

Two games, two wins. Not bad for starters but Cork manager Donal O'Grady will not get carried away in the slightest with that statistic and fully realises there's much work down the line before any grand notions can be entertained.

"There was very little to shout about. Wexford missed a lot of scores and we missed a lot as well," he said.

"The pitch was very good, a lot of openings were created but at this time of the year a lot of teams haven't much hurling done and it showed out there with the first touch being off in a lot of cases.

"A win is a win but maybe the manner in which it was achieved might have been a bit better but it was a win away from home and we are happy enough with that. The one thing that did please me was that the players again displayed great commitment.

"There was never a time when a fellow stopped playing and if they lost the ball they fought for it and that's what we are trying to achieve."

Admitting that his side had allowed Wexford back into the game at a stage when it appeared that the margin would be significant in Cork's favour, Grady conceded that his side, at this juncture, are not world beaters but some things had pleased him.

"Some players played very well while others were mediocre but it was a team effort and I am happy with that. Both teams played poorly in the first half to be honest and for the first ten minutes of the second and it took us a long time to get ahead and that's a worrying aspect.

"What we are looking for is improvement in performance but we are finding it difficult to get venues to train on for hurling because ground conditions are poor.

"We took our chances more clinically in the second-half than we did in the first so that pleased me".

Seletor Fred Sheedy was of a similar voice with O'Grady but was delighted with the Cork half-back line and with Wayne Sherlock at right corner-back.

"They all did their bit and I thought Mickey O'Connell did well at midfield," he said.