Fitzgerald urges players to store loss to fuel Senior careers

By Stephen Barry

Manager Niall Fitzgerald said his Tipperary under 20 footballers paid the price for poor refereeing decisions as their journey fell agonisingly short of a Munster final on Tuesday of last week.

The major controversy surrounded the final call for a free against Joe Higgins after Micheál Maguire had sent Cork’s last chance wide. For Fitzgerald, it wasn't an isolated incident.

“We didn't feel it was a heroic effort as such because we really had confidence that we could beat Cork. We were as good, if not better, than them,” he said.

“I still believe that going away because there were a few decisions, and we won't get into it, but it was bad. It was bad and we paid the price.”

When asked about that decision for the 66th-minute leveller, Fitzgerald replied: “From what I'm told, it wasn't related to a free.”

The first half also ended in controversy as Billy Tierney had a free reversed for taking too long before a solo & go. Cork kicked a two-pointer to take their first lead into half-time.

Fitzgerald questioned the application of the rule and appeared to be vindicated by official GAA guidance, which explained: “If the solo and go is not taken ‘immediately’, the referee will cancel the solo and go and (the) free-kick will have to be taken from the position of the foul from either the hands or from the ground.”

Fitzgerald commented: “It's not easy to get clarity when the ref doesn't know the rules himself, I'll put it that way. Everyone saw it, it was there.”

The team gathered in a huddle on the Páirc Uí Chaoimh pitch after full-time, surrounded by supporters, where Fitzgerald addressed the group.

“I said to them after, you don't always get what you deserve in sport or in life. It's how you react to it. I know that these lads will react positively going forward because they're a fantastic group,” revealed the Moyle Rovers clubman

Senior manager Philly Ryan has spoken about drafting some of these U20s into his squad and Fitzgerald believes they have the potential to make an impact this year.

“That's for Philly and, in fairness, it's not a simple decision because he has a panel there. Are you going to upset that? But in terms of talent and ability, 100%,” Fitzgerald said.

“A good portion of the group in there are going to really bulk up the senior set-up going forward.

“Philly will have a lot of talent coming into the senior set-up, a lot of really good players, real good character, real strong belief in themselves and their ability, and really good footballers.”

Before mentioning the refereeing decisions, Fitzgerald alluded to his team’s own mistakes.

“We had the winning of the game. We were a point up and had two chances to put the ball down, put the ball over the bar, and maybe made wrong decisions and suffered.

“It's a huge learning curve for our lads, and they will learn.”

They bow out of the year with plenty of regrets but plenty of credit, too, from their record of four wins, one draw, and one defeat.

“It was important for us to consolidate ourselves as best of the rest for the second year in a row,” said Fitzgerald.

“That was important but what we wanted was to be in the Munster final. We were a second away from achieving it, so we're gutted.”