Galway manager Anthony Cunningham says his players deserve their place in the All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship final for the hard work they have put in this season.
Cunningham, who took over in Galway following a disappointing season in 2011, told RTÉ’s Martin Kiely that his players have given everything and are now reaping the rewards.
“We are now in the final, and any team that gets to the final they want to win it. The players have worked so hard, with the management team, since we met on 26 November 26 last year.
"They have given us everything really, everything out of their lives, and it showed out there today.”
Cunningham said the Tribesmen have benefitted from giving youth its fling, but that just reaching the final will not be enough.
“We have done a lot of work with them. We put faith in young players and I’m delighted for the players that they are in the final, but the final is a lonely place if you don’t win.
"We want to win and are going to prepare hard for it. We don’t mind who we play.”
The Galway supremo was delighted that after years of inconsistency, his side were able to follow up their 10-point win over Kilkenny with another convincing victory.
“You can’t coach the experience you get in hard games. It’s great learning. The players have developed immensely from their experience of the big day. It was very satisfying for us that the lads kicked on from the Leinster final,” Cunningham said.
But he added that his charges will have to step it up another notch if they to bring the Liam McCarthy Cup across the Shannon for the first time since 1988.
“Every player who played there today will learn a lot about their own game. We will be asking them to analyse, and we have a lot to improve on, but no matter what team wins a semi-final they will look for improvements for the final.”
