Borris-Ileigh have done Tipperary proud - Kelly

 

By Shane Brophy

 

For a team that had gotten used to winning, Sunday's All Ireland final defeat was hard to take for Borris-Ileigh.

While everyone in the camp was philsophical in defeat, they will have a lot of what if's when they look back on the game and the missed chances that prevented them from beating Shamrocks.

“It's devastation really because we are such competitors,” admitted manager Johnny Kelly.

“You breed that mentality into players in the dressing room that you never take a step backward and even when the final whistle goes, you still don't want to take a step back and still want this to continue. You don't accept it but then the realisation hits that you are beaten.”

Borris-Ileigh finished like a train as usual, erasing a six point deficit to just two before Ballyhale and TJ Reid in particular put the seal in the win in added time but that is all they lost was a game Kelly added.

“The right and proper thing is to recognise the journey the boys have gone on,” he continued.

“Today, people will look back on this game as a one-off and this thing didn't work and that guy didn't play well but we have to take it all in one overview of the season and some of the great displays these guys have put in, they have been exceptional.

“We are where we are, disappointed after losing an All Ireland final to one of the greatest club teams in the GAA at the minute.”

 

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