Pat Ryan: Cork's level not 'as high as where we need to be if we want to win All-Ireland'
The Rebels stormed to a 20-point semi-final triumph, beating Dublin 7-26 to 2-21 at Croke Park, and their sights are firmly set on ending a 20-year wait for Liam MacCarthy glory.
'Our preparation has been excellent and we got that performance we wanted,' Ryan told his post-match press conference.
'It wasn't perfect, lots of stuff we will go after as regards what we want for the All-Ireland final. Look, we're in the All-Ireland final tonight and we'll get to watch two great teams go at it tomorrow really hammer and tongs. That is a special place to be for us.
'We're targeting goals and fast starts all the time, that's the game. Lads were really clinical today. I thought we left an awful lot of scores behind us but that is me being a bit critical, maybe over critical. But there are some things we will go after, but delighted with our fellas.
'We came out of here 51 and a half weeks ago, and for us to get back into a final shows the character and strength and commitment to the jersey the lads have. The idea is to go one better but we know the opposition will be really good as well.'
Alan Connolly bagged a hat-trick, finishing with 3-2, while Brian Hayes and Tim O'Mahony scored 2-1 apiece as they dominated Dublin. Cork raised three green flags in the opening quarter alone, and led by 10 at half time, 4-13 to 1-12.
'Dublin showed really good heart but it was always going to be hard for them to get back up to that level [quarter-final win over Limerick],' said Ryan.
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'Our key was to make sure our level was as high as possible. I don't think it was as high as where we should be or where we need to be if we want to win an All-Ireland. We were at a level that was really going to put it up to Dublin today and that's the way it turned out.'
Ryan says balancing focus and enjoyment through the buzz of the next two weeks will be key now, the Rebels facing either Tipperary or Kilkenny on Sunday 20 July.
Niall Ó Ceallacháin dejected after the game. Ryan Byrne / INPHO Ryan Byrne / INPHO / INPHO
Meanwhile, a disappointed Niall Ó Ceallacháin made 'no excuses' as he hailed a ruthless Cork side.
'They're going to take some beating,' he said in the bowels of the Hogan Stand. 'That's as good a team performance from a sharpness perspective that I've seen in a long, long time.
'Their goals, we couldn't live with it. We couldn't live with their pace and power inside.'
Ó Ceallacháin conceded his 'high-risk' defensive set-up 'didn't work'. 'I've been proven wrong now, so I can be fairly criticised,' he said, later adding: 'Is there a difference of 20 points between us and the top team in Ireland? I don't think there is.'
The All-Ireland winning Na Fianna boss reflected on 2025 as a whole after an 'absolutely devastating' exit.
'Ultimately we didn't make a league final, we didn't make a Leinster final and we haven't made an All-Ireland final, so that's each of the three competitions we were in, there's no point just being in them, we're competing to kind of win these so we're very disappointed that we didn't make a final of any of those three.
'From a Leinster championship perspective, a couple of good days. Obviously it was a huge win [against Limerick] a couple of weeks ago. We can be fairly criticised now that we didn't follow up two weeks later. We have to be better.'
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