Three years work culminated in second half performance - Bevans

By Shane Brophy

There is nothing a coach loves more than to see their team play to the fullest of their ability and that it was on the biggest day of all is what pleased Michael Bevans the most.

“It was amazing, really,” began the Toomevara native.

“At halftime, on the scoreboard, it didn't look great, but we were happy with a lot of things that we were doing, probably just our execution wasn't where needed to be.

“I thought we were panicking on the ball a little bit as well, so we spoke about all those things, and to be fair, the players don't have to be told those things because we are at them a long time about all that.

“Also, just the bravery of the players and the risks that they took in the second half to really go for it. It's incredible.

“I'm just delighted for the players because they've been through a lot. They are special really; they are honest, and they are together and just thrilled for the players.”

A sweeper is a dirty word in most parts of the county but sometimes needs must. It can also be seen as handing the psychological initiative to your opponent by changing how you set up, but Bevans revealed Cork’s strengths couldn’t be ignored.

“We probably had to do something different,” added the Borrisoleigh resident.

“We got a bad beating down in Pairc Ui Chaoimh on two occasions. Cork are a phenomenal team and, to be fair, they have phenomenal speed, they are threats all over the pitch.

“We discussed with the players, we practiced it, and we went for it.

“But we did decide we wouldn't be conservative to win it either and we probably were a little bit too conservative in the first half.

“It's really above just about moving numbers around a field, it’s not really about a plus-one. It's about attacking, being brave, supporting each other, and staying in the play. When they got to grips with that, they kind of felt it was working and they just stayed at it.”

While the traditionalists might not have liked Tipperary playing an extra-man at the back, it didn’t stop them from being direct in their approach with the long ball from which they decisive second and third goals came from.

“You can't be too predictable,” Bevans added.

“The players make those decisions themselves. Like I said, they have the freedom to do that. You obviously want them to play a certain way since we came in three years ago, we wanted to play a certain way, but we've always given them that freedom to play with instinct as well.

“That high ball is not gone, it’s still there, the direct ball, the fast ball, so from time to time to use that to use as well, and when you have players like John, Jason and Darragh inside, it's always going to be fifty-fifty ball.”

Bevans admitted it was great to be able to enjoy the closing moments knowing the game was in hand, and that all the hard work and sacrifice was about to pay off in the form of a 29th All-Ireland title for the county.

“It's hard to enjoy it when you are in the moment,” he said.

“I always feel if you are enjoying it, you're probably taking your mind off it whereas you just need to keep concentrating and Cork are such a good team as well.

“The last two minutes maybe you kind of had an idea it was safe enough, but the way hurling is gone, a quick goal and it’s back to six points, and it's very shaky then so.

“But it was just so nice to see them hurling the way we knew they could hurl.

“It just didn't happen last year; it was it was just a funny year. The vision was always there that they could hurl like that, and they showed it a lot throughout the year as it wasn't just a one-off game. They showed it in snippets of games this year, but it’s so pleasing that they put it together in the second half of an All-Ireland Final, and they showed what men they are.”