Galway Manager John McIntyre just wanted to be anywhere else in the world rather than in the media room in the bowels of Croke Park, trying to make sense of his sides defeat in the immediate aftermath of the epic against Tipperary on Sunday.
Their second year in succession bowing out of the championship by a point, the Lorrha native who donned the blue and gold jersey of Tipperary for many years as a star centre back, fought back the emotions as he tried to find words to explain the leve
l of hurt and pain in the Galway dressingroom. Mind you, he did acknowledge that Tipperary knew exactly what he meant having been through the All-Ireland defeat of 2009, and perhaps learned from it as they rallied to snatch victory in the dying moments.
"We are devastated in a sporting context," he managed to state as he faced up to his media colleagues – McIntyre is the Sports Editor of the Connacht Tribune in Galway.
"We fronted up to Tipperary today, and we left everything we had out on the field. It was always a game where the margins were so tight that a break here or there would be crucial and I thought we were entitled to a free with the very last incident. I don't want to go down the road of sour grapes though because we were two points up with a few minutes to go and I would have to give credit to Tipperary for pulling the game out of the fire," he said.
In his second year in charge of the Tribesmen, the former Offaly Boss had assembled a potent side which he felt would be capable to challenging for honours. However, the Leinster final defeat at the hands of Kilkenny was a big setback and while John acknowledged that Tipp's experience was crucial in the closing stages, he praised his own charges for their efforts on the day.
"I know we lost the game, but I have never been as proud of the Galway players as I am this evening. We may have lost the match but we have lost no honour. I think we answered a lot of the questions posed over the years. There was no shortage of character, commitment or courage out there today and maybe Tipp's experience of playing in an All-Ireland final last year and the devastation of that result stood to them in the final furlong today.
"It was a game which swung one way and then another and the decisive burst from Tipperary came at the final whistle. I salute them, they were devastated last year when they lost to Kilkenny in the All-Ireland final, but I am feeling for our players and all associated with the panel right now,"John said.
